by Lloyd A. Luna


John C. Maxwell, an American best-selling author puts it this way: Trust is the foundation of any relationship.

I agree without reservation. In fact, I had a personal experience about it. Such experience made me believe that mobility on earth has a basic law. And a factor called trust has something to do with our every day lives.

Couple of months ago, I was invited to co-own a publishing company in Makati City. That was after my stint as corporate communications manager in an events company. I was in my hype when the invitation came and so I accepted the offer. For me, such opportunity can add to my value since I really love working in publishing.

We started in April just this year. Right after my presentation on how the company is to operate, I immediately dropped names that will compose my inner circle. After several weeks, I made a very good team. I hired bright and talented graduates of St. Paul, DLS-CSB, Baliuag University, Ateneo, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and UST. My plan was to have the best mix of young minds coming from schools of different cultures. I was successful at that.

When we started our operations, everything was not yet set up. We didn't have a conducive working space and we didn't even have desktop computers, internet connections and telephone lines. Still, our team made it to deliver the expected output. We have come up with a long-term plan and everybody was well-oriented on their tasks.

I hoped one time to stay and beat the odds. I had a very good team and I knew very well that the publishing will work. But my relationship with my partner didn't give me enough reason to stay. After a more than a month, we parted ways. When I thought my team members would join me, they stayed and told me: We'd rather go where the money is. That was the time when I strongly stood with my principle.

I am a type of person who easily gives trust. For me, that’s where every story starts anyway. And when I got my people in to work for me, I trusted them. And it was the same trust and confidence that I gave my partner. Unfortunately, they didn't give me the same level of trust.

Just two days ago, I heard that the company (existed in four months and didn't manage to even take off) was already closed.

This is what people don't get most of the time. They put the situation over the relationship. And they think it’s ok. The reason why my team mates had left me and chose to stay with my partner was obvious. The situation then told them that what they needed was money. Very unfortunate that it was not about the money. It’s about trust and relationship. It was on the same situation that I told myself that we don't deserve one another. Sacrificing my personal philosophies was never my option.

In any relationship, trust is one basic factor that we must never miss. We need to make it on top of our priority list. We may have the best business partner, best circle of friends, best professors, best mentor or best parents. But I think they won't become the “best” if we didn't trust them in the first place.

Everything must be built on a very strong foundation of trust. Unless we take a good eye on it, we won't get any farther. And take note that trusting others begins when you trust yourself to trust others.

Trust is never a business requirement. It is a significant business component. It is neither a skill nor talent. It is a divine conviction of a human heart.