Friday, June 09, 2006

"Nothing is as fast as the speed of trust"

Tom Peters quotes the obvious from The Speed of Trust – a book by Stephen M. R. Covey, son of the legendary Stephen Covey who wrote 7 Habits of the Highly Effective People. The quote is:

"Nothing is as fast as the speed of trust."
Stephen M. R. Covey

Anna Farmery broods:

I find Nothing is as fast as the speed of MIStrust!.....trust builds over time and I have never equated it with speed. Branding being a product or Brand You, depends on building trust over time. Now Mistrust can be instant and can spread like wild fire! It is a great quote but in what context?

Tom Peters laments that it is a “good point.”

Since I love finding context for truths, I don’t think I will give up on this one. Here is what I think solves the conundrum:

There is a (philosophical) context for "nothing is as fast as the speed of trust."

As I see it, there are 2 kinds of activities in the world: create something, or idle. Those who create something are the ones with a purpose. Those who idle have to follow the law: "there is no such thing as a vaccum." Over time, they also get a purpose: which is to take down or destroy or waste things. This is what is known as the "negative mindset" - the reactive mindset - the reactive group of people.

So we end up with basically two broad classes of people: the purpose-driven, action-oriented people, and those who do everything else. There are then two "worlds:" the reative, positive world where good, beneficial, interesting things are being created. And the other world, which is busy with everything else, often the sum of their activities being (self-)destructive.

In the first world, "nothing is as fast as the speed of trust." Because mistrust or lack of trust means that the creative process in that world is slowing down and time is being spent on getting things right rather than getting things done.

In the second world, things depend on whatever is influencing that world at any given time. Generally, mistrust would pervade. Mistrust can travel faster than the speed of light - but it is serving any purpose?

So what do you think? Does trust emerge a winner?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Absolutely beautiful thot.

Yes, the way u divide the world seems quite acceptable (initially), but somehow I tend to think that there are still a lot of grey areas. People who try to live in both the worlds, people who do end up living in one or the other world at one given time...and no one can say what they are really, bcuz they'd be in the other world next moment. Perhaps.

Ramla Akhtar said...

"Fyza,"

I am humbled by your acceptance of my world view, partial and grey as that acceptance might be.

Ramla Akhtar said...

Re: "Fyza"

You might find this relevant: How to Split Your Soul in Two. Sheds metaphysical light on why the world of trust is speedier.

I have to admit, though, there are some souls who master the art of living in multiple worlds.