"Trust Is The Coin Of The Realm"
The late George Shultz famously said, “Trust is the coin of the realm.”
You’ve, if you have been around a while, have likely found yourself in environments in which you believed you could be trusting with high confidence that the people around you can be relied upon. And, others, less so.
I’ve experienced both.
George knew both. He found some Soviet leaders during his time as Secretary of State he could work with. He also was a little slow to figure out that the Theranos CEO was untrustworthy. He served as a Theranos director.
Not long ago I read an analysis of the operating style of Vladimir Putin. The article said he doesn’t say what he means and he doesn’t think the person he’s talking to is saying what they mean either.
That, to me, is an insane way to go through life. But some people do that.
If you are operating in a place where you wonder if someone is wearing a wire, it’s long past time to refresh your resume. Life will get a lot more pleasant when you move on.