About a year ago, amidst my plans and adventures, I was pondering and searching for a phrase that was simple, powerful, and could help establish a clear and strong message to support the strategy of a series of services. After several iterations and trying different approaches, I arrived at the phrase: “You can trust us”. A powerful, clear phrase that requires facts and arguments, and beyond its emotional depth, directly impacts the characterization of a fact. I remembered this exercise a few days ago when, talking to “my boss” (my wife, haha), the topic of trust, patience, and the difference between facts and words came up. What a moment!
But of course, what is trust? Does statistics help with this? For example: “9 out of 10 clients who have hired our services have left extremely satisfied, and we have built a relationship that’s hard to break.” Would we say that 90% of our clients are in love with our services, right? But what about that other 10%? Are they not satisfied, or are they less satisfied? Or are they an acceptable number?
Now, trust must be bidirectional. That is, it should go both ways, be reciprocal, mutual, like when there is love and excitement, and be based on facts, not just good faith. Otherwise, if one party has it and the other does not, there will eventually be a conflict. This applies to both personal and business relationships (between companies).
In my personal experience (and that of many friends), whenever a project or service has not been as “glorious” as it could have been, it has been due mainly to two underlying situations:
- Lack of clarity (intentional) on the part of the client, and a position of arrogance from which it is assumed that they can get their way with the provider (extract as much as possible) and that the provider won’t complain because they value not losing the account more than their own dignity.
- Lack of ability to say no on the part of the provider, even when they know it is completely unfeasible or that they lack the knowledge or experience to do it well. This last point could also be considered “bad faith,” of course. Pure and simple opportunism in the vein of “You grab it, and then we’ll see what to do…”
In both cases, depending on how you view it, one is motivated by achieving the greatest possible outcome for the least possible investment (paying little and getting a lot), and the other, depending on your view, is motivated by the need to keep the project even though they are aware they are not being honest with the client about their capabilities. Both cases are problematic. If you notice, both errors (from either side) stem from the same thing: the ambition to win even when one knows that the scenario is not fair to the other party.
Viewed from another angle, it is clear that when a client and a provider meet in an honest and trusting scenario, the possibilities are endless. That is undoubtedly true. However, as mentioned earlier, trust must be mutual and based on more than just good faith. It should be noted, of course, that there are also scenarios where one party gives everything good they can offer, being transparent and clear, but the other party remains distrustful and obstructs any possible opportunity. Some people, due to their own insecurities and fears, miss out on real opportunities, only to later see these opportunities slip through their fingers “inexplicably.”
All humans are a world unto themselves, and because of this, I have seen more time wasted due to lack of word and trust than by things poorly done without ill will. Such is life.
Now, from all that I have seen and experienced, I only like to participate in projects or services that are aligned with my experience and knowledge. I have never really been interested in other types of situations unless, in agreement with the client, both of us are firmly committed to the initiative. That is to say, for example, “I may not have extensive experience in the subject, but you know I work well in related areas, so you get a service at a more convenient rate because it is interesting for both of us.” Of course, this is based on a scenario where there is trust, which is genuinely difficult to achieve between two strangers.
Personally, whenever I can choose, I prefer to be where I am truly trusted. It’s not a whim, no. It’s for my own peace of mind and mental well-being. I like to choose and commit firmly to well-thought-out services that are profitable and beneficial (without sacrificing the human aspect or touching greed), but that also provide “a good experience to share.” As my friend Carmen says: “I don’t like making messes” (in a sloppy, unprofessional manner), and when I can’t decide or make things as I think they should be done, I simply get frustrated (like anyone else, undoubtedly).
As I have mentioned in a previous post, I have a very peculiar life plan and a series of goals that from my perspective and position I do not consider unattainable but rather natural. I want to enjoy my days doing everything that keeps a smile on my face, beyond whether or not one has to work (depending on how you see it), because I believe work should always fill us with excitement and give us joys that outweigh mere “money.” It’s not an idealistic or naive approach; it is genuinely possible to view life from a different perspective.
My friend Marcelo always says “…the day I have to actually work, I don’t really know how I would do it,” and it’s a phrase that makes a lot of sense beyond the cliché of “…find something you’re passionate about and you’ll never have to work again.” To me, it means that he greatly enjoys his craft and doesn’t really consider it work (and we should all aspire to that, without a doubt).
Years ago, my friend Paul told me “we need to enjoy life, JuanMa. Not everything is work…”, and at the time, I thought “this man is mistaken…” (actually, I thought other things, haha); however, as I have acknowledged countless times, Paul was more right than a saint. Perhaps one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received in life, and even more so coming from someone who truly applies it, haha. Paul’s advice was excellent, although (let’s be honest) it doesn’t surpass Alberto’s, who, when I called him to ask what to do with the arrival of the pandemic, said: “Manuel (he calls me that), cash is King”, and hung up the phone. Eternal thanks, sir!
So, life is too short to be bitter or frustrated about things you can’t control or that don’t depend on you. You need to focus on what you can manage, move where you can make decisions and be yourself, and surround yourself with people you can trust (including colleagues, employees, partners, and clients). If you’re not happy where you are, there’s a saying I don’t know who it’s from, “…move because you’re not a tree”.
The day will come when you have no choice but to sit and wait for the end, but until that day arrives, you must continue fighting for what gives meaning to your life: your family, your children, yourself. You have an obligation to try to be happy, and every moment counts. Days pass, life passes, and you too will pass. Don’t forget it, since depending on your age, you probably have more past than future right? (There’s the detail…).
Thank you for making it this far, and I send you a huge hug as always. My best wishes for this week, and may everything be beautiful for you.
Move. You can do it! ✌🏻😊
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