Only the intelligent can trust!

Trust is the absence of doubt. Trust to me is a circle. It covers a few within and leaves out many outside the circumference. Over time, the circle expands and may even for brief moments shrink, especially under stress or adverse circumstances. The circle could be of a particular size around one’s own family, but smaller with respect to say, Colleagues at work.

It is not enough to have Strategy and execution. For performance, trust is vital.  Trust that comes from the head is measured: calculating, deliberate, reasoned. It weighs the pros and cons. It evaluates the other on issues of integrity, intent, capability and past results. That’s one reason why you fly on a plane. You trust the pilot that he knows his job. Trust is demanded from us every minute: when we at a station – do we trust the stranger besides us? At the operation theatre: do we trust the report and diagnosis and agree to a surgery. All brands are in essence selling Trust. Take a Telecom Operator for instance – what is it selling?In the final analysis, it is trust. It wants you to trust that it will accurately bill you for the correct minutes you’ve spoken – that you are fair and honest.  Trust is akin to confidence and in its absence suspicion. All relationships are cemented or undermined on account of trust issues. It affects us on all levels – societal, institutional, organisational, relational and personal. Interestingly, trust promotes speed, (execution becomes easier) lowers costs (less review and compliance). Trust is built on several things: Integrity, Intent, Capabilities, and Results.

This kind of trust is from the Head. It is the antidote to doubt and suspicion and as long as this kind of trust is espoused doubt exists. It exists as a counterpoint on the spectrum. The world is filled with hypocrites – those who manipulate trust. They seem to give the indication that they can be trusted, but they hold out one set of values for others and quite a different one for themselves. Then there is the second category of those who are naïve – folks who readily believe, want to believe almost. They are gullible and are easily led away.Trust is laced with doubt. We go on believing deep down, that distrust exists. The 'aye' has within it a 'nay'.

Trust is contextual - it is a function of space and time. The mind nevers trusts, and the heart never can doubt. Trust cannot be given by the thinking mind - it is but a pretense. It is offered on conditionality. It is given with caveats. Even when 'trust' is given, all the rituals point to, rituals of suspicion and doubt ( take the origin of handshakes/hugs - to detect for hidden weapons, or lifting the glass - clinking cheers, to ensure poison is not shared alone).

Trust from the heart is quite different- it is a quality. It is not trust in someone or something. It is a quality of being. To be trusting is a trait, even in the face of betrayal. It is as if you were saying, “Whatever happens, I am part of existence and existence cannot be intentionally inimical to me. If sometimes that it feels it is, it must be my misunderstanding.”Only when there is a connection at the level beyond, intellect: the intuition, can trust be received or given. Giving is tainted with an unstated reciprocal demand or concession - it is not unconditional.Only where the giving has mutuality - can love and trust exist. A mother feeding her suckling baby ( that is unconditional love).

     Trust is only offered by the intelligent and received by he/she who is intelligent. For those with     intellect, all acts are ' acts of faith'. For the rest, it is an act of instinct.

Begin with the question - of seeing if you trust yourself. Do you? Do you really trust yourself?