The Hindu Business Line : Why trust matters

We arrive in a busy airport, collect our luggage and scan those assembled in the receiving bay for that placard carrying our name. The moment we spot it, we know we have arrived. The feeling of relief is palpable.

We follow the driver of the car that has been hired to meet us without a question, get into the car and set out for our destination. Such complete trust in a stranger!

The contrast at work is striking. More often than not, it seems to take a long time before we are able to trust someone completely. This is probably because we all have had occasions when the people we trusted have, in our opinion, betrayed us.

The point at issue is not whether they did or not; what really matters is our perception of that supposed betrayal.

This lack of trust, like an acid, slowly eats away working relationships, reduces efficiency and ultimately leads to major confrontations.

First impressions

Normally, when people meet for the first time they assess each other to see if they are comfortable with each other; in personal terms this may be termed as chemistry.

The next stage is reached when through interactions and incidents at work, comfort slowly transforms into respect.

This is a litmus test that determines whether the working relationship has the potential to reach the highest level it can reach — that of trust.

Usually, this journey takes time and many a time, it does not even cross the first barrier.

Nonetheless, it is a given in organisations that we cannot choose those we work with. The issue of reposing and receiving trust is critical because of the very positive impact it can have on the success of an organisation.

At an individual level, the issue of trust can be looked at in different ways. The simplest way may be to start by trusting others and then hoping that the others live up to that trust.

The reason why the pyramid has to be inverted is because in today’s world, the normal mode of comfort transforming into respect and ultimately into trust, may not be feasible when time is at a premium.

In the view of many, this may probably appear to be the most simplistic way as well. It may sound counter-intuitive, but most people have a need to be liked, respected and trusted, and being trusted at the outset of a relationship gives them the opportunity to live up to that need.

In most cases, this will work out positively. In the cases where it does not, strong measures are called for.

A clear message has to be sent, not just to the person concerned, but also to others that abusing the trust placed in them is not accepted behaviour and the consequences must also be outlined and enforced ruthlessly.

Role of organisations

The organisation has an equal role to play in reinforcing the fact that trust is a key component of what it seeks in every employee. Every measure of its dealings with people must go to strengthen this aspect.

The rewards and incentive systems must be suitably designed to recognise and honour those who follow this precept; equally, those who breach this compact must be asked to leave the system.

The net result will be a system that can trust itself and very soon, this system will earn the trust of all its stakeholders.

Such trust becomes the pipeline through which the life of the company and its people flows and the greater the trust, the bigger the pipeline.

This becomes especially critical when the company faces traumatic situations — be it in the form of market realities, fiduciary conduct, social responsibilities and so on. At such times, the faith reposed in the company by different stakeholders will come to its aid and help it navigate the crisis.

Trust is an absolute commodity. It is a pure white cloth and stains are impossible to wash away. It transcends being a mere a philosophy; it has clear positive financial spin-offs as well.

It is a difficult thing to invest in, but one that guarantees a great return on the investments made.

(The writer is advisor to 3i Infotech, Manipal Education & Medical Group and IDFC Pvt Equity.)

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