Believe We Are A World of Trust

In our current challenging times of COVID-19, the worldwide chaos of our days, and the self-limiting beliefs as to where we may get our next meal, or when we can go shopping again, or when we can interrelate with others without social distancing and masks, there is the human nature to challenge what others may profess on the soapboxes of today. We may question the trust we have in our leaders! We may question the trust we have in the future! And, we may question ourselves!

Trust! These are five simple letters that when present opens the door to a myriad of great results. And, when challenged by self-serving egos, can destroy a village. It is the one thing that enables human beings to be vulnerable, open, curious, and honest… knowing that one can speak without repercussions or retaliation. As Patrick Lencioni has said “Where there is trust, conflict becomes nothing but the pursuit of truth, an attempt to find the best possible answer?” He says “It’s as simple as this. When people don't unload their opinions and feel like they've been listened to, they won't really get on board.” So is the circle that you speak in safe! Does it allow for vulnerability? Can there be speaking without repercussions or retaliation? And, does the fear of repercussions or retaliation create barriers to those who would want to be heard? 

 We seek self-vulnerability because in doing so we shed the barriers that keep us isolated from others and that reduce the ability to have deep curious decision and interpersonal relationships. The same can be said about organizational structures. The lack of corporate vulnerability creates barriers that stands in the way of greatness. Lencioni says about organizations [teams] “A fractured team is just like a broken arm or leg; fixing it is always painful, and sometimes you have to rebreak it to make it heal correctly. And the rebreak hurts a lot more than the initial break, because you have to do it on purpose”. And “the dark side of ego is the ultimate killer on a team”.

In 1837, Hans Christian Anderson wrote the “Emperor’s New Clothes”. We all know the plot… a vain king who was preoccupied with his appearance and his wardrobe. A pair of swindlers took advantage of this by pretending to be able to weave the finest cloth, which couldn't be seen by people who were either unfit for office or were particularly stupid. The king decided to have a suit of clothes made from the fabric in order to test which of his courtiers was unfit for office. As he didn't want to appear stupid or unfit for rule himself, he pretended to be able to see the new clothes, as did all of his courtiers. He paraded the 'new clothes' through the streets and the onlookers, also not wishing to appear stupid, all admired them. A small child, who didn't understand the apparent necessity for pretence, piped up 'But he has nothing on!'. The bubble of pretence burst and soon all the onlookers were repeating what the child had said, whilst the king continued the procession, attempting to maintain his dignity by pretending that nothing had happened.

So, the meaning of the story is clear. It is used in contexts where people or organizations are widely acclaimed and admired, but where others question whether what they have created is of any value or true. The story bears some similarity to another modern-day expression… “the elephant in the room”. An essential factor with both phrases is the willingness of people to engage into an unspoken contract to willfully disbelieve what they know to be true.” And. sometimes the power of one can bring us back to truth and reality.

The world has lost battles over pretense. It has lost hero’s and warriors over pretense. And, in modern times trust has been voluntarily lost over pretense. While others have been left on the side of the road to die.

And from the ashes of the fire comes a resurrection. A resurrection of even greater greatness. A resurrection where the fear of repercussion and retaliation does not exist. A resurrection where one can ask the questions that need to be asked. A resurrect of truth, trust, and vulnerability. A resurrection where scapegoats and sacrificial lambs will rise above the pretense and bring light to the darkness.

We have heard the line… “If I know what you stand for, I know what you don’t stand for.”

 So, trust! Recognize that the world would not be our schoolhouse of learning if we did not have the caldron of stories, beliefs, thoughts, decisions and actions. The challenge is to allow it to unfold and to be able to discern fact from fiction without repercussion.

Jim Collins says “For no matter what we achieve, if we don’t spend the vast majority of our time with people we love and respect, we cannot possibly have a great life. But if we spend the vast majority of our time with people we love and respect – people we really enjoy being on the bus with and who will never disappoint us – then we will almost certainly have a great life, no matter where the bus goes.” He goes on to say “Smart people instinctively understand the dangers of entrusting our future to self-serving leaders who use our institutions, whether in the corporate or social sectors, to advance their own interests.”

Stay well, stay safe, stay healthy!

Marshall Krupp, Executive Coach, Speaker, Advisor

Mission... Empowering others to be better than they ever thought they could be through the intimacy of coaching, mentoring, and challenge.

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