TRUST

George P. Shultz is a former U.S. secretary of labor, treasury and state, and was director of the Office of Management and Budget. At 100 years old in December 2020 (he died February 6, 2021 at 100), recalling what ten things about Trust were important in his long life.

“Dec. 13 marks my turning 100 years young. I’ve learned much over that time, but looking back, I’m struck that there is one lesson I learned early and then relearned over and over: Trust is the coin of the realm. When trust was in the room, whatever room that was — the family room, the schoolroom, the locker room, the office room, the government room or the military room — good things happened. When trust was not in the room, good things did not happen. Everything else is details.

This is Number 10 on his list:

“In God we trust.” Yes, and when we are at our best, we also trust in each other. Trust is fundamental, reciprocal and, ideally, pervasive. If it is present, anything is possible. If it is absent, nothing is possible. The best leaders trust their followers with the truth, and you know what happens as a result? Their followers trust them back. With that bond, they can do big, hard things together, changing the world for the better.”

“Believe in God; believe also in me.” Jesus