The trust factor

The one thing we all look for in people and organisations we deal with is trust. Whether it is a doctor whom we entrust with our bodies and health, an investment company through which we deploy our hard-earned money, a lawyer through whom we seek justice, a tenant to whom we rent out property or the housemaid in whose hands we leave the house when we step out- trust is an important  consideration.

If the doctor undertakes   a procedure, he is not competent to handle and endangers the patient’s health or the investment company gives the client   advice solely based on which promotions are running at that point, or the lawyer sits on the case or colludes with the other side damaging the interests of the client, or the tenant sublets the space and defaults on mandatory dues, or the housemaid leaves the house open to intruders in the boss’ absence, trust is violated. Why is trust so important? For one it is the mark of a woman or a man. Two, one is playing with the life or health or life’s mission or hard-earned wealth or psyche of a person. Once violated not only can that trust never be regained, the damage caused in whatever way may never be possible to undo too.

To earn someone’s trust one has to be true to one’s word, deliver on promises, be transparent, respect confidential information and do everything possible to carry out the task one is entrusted with. It may take a long time to earn someone’s trust and one will encounter many temptations and short cuts along the way that have to be stoutly desisted. As they say doing the right thing even when no one is watching – is integrity.

If your trust has been violated after taking due precautions, do not be hard on yourself. In a life time this is bound to happen a few times. Learn from it and be slow   to place your trust the next time around. Watch and observe people closely -their actions, speech and body language, study and review their track record periodically.

Keep your antenna on the alert, check with friends for their opinion (again those whom you can trust) if they spotted red flags and then you will have a fair idea of the person or organisation you are dealing with. All relationships whether business related or professional or personal are based on trust – hence choose wisely after sincerely seeking guidance from the  Supreme who can be trusted not to let you down.