It's a five-letter word, and a most potent five-letter word at that. TRUST. A human condition that takes the individual to new heights of accomplishment and self-renewal, and a lack of which can generate a downward spiral with disastrous consequences. Ramiz Allawala has spent a lot of time researching and understanding the issue of ethics in leadership functions, and has come to the conclusion that confidence building measures are needed not just between two hostile countries, but also within societies and people characterised by dysfunctional relationships between the rulers and the ruled. Trust becomes the medium of exchange in promoting the agents of change to achieve harmony and a smoothly functioning production process for goods and services.

Billed as a continued professional education programme for the entire sub-continent and beyond, the TCS HR & Management Development Services has emerged from the 20th anniversary celebrations of TCS. These have seen the hosting of panel discussions and talk shows on issues of vital concern to Pakistan in the greater context of gaining competitive advantage in the global village. The focus has been upon the institutionalisation of good governance and best management practices in society as a whole. The tremendous response that TCS has received from its valued clientele has convinced it to entire the field of human resource development on a more enduring basis.

"We are acutely aware that the future progress and prosperity of Pakistan lies in the qualitative and quantum development of the Pakistani human resource, an area that has suffered from criminal neglect in the past," said Jamil Janjua (CEO TCS). "Fortunately, the organizational network that TCS has in place throughout the length and breadth of Pakistan positions it admirably to facilitate the training process. By assuming the marketing, administrative and logistics management function of coordinating trainers from different cities in the entire SAARC region. The TCS HR & Management Development Services are a natural extension of our professional and social ambitions."

Twenty-seven participants representing eight corporate concerns took part in the inaugural TCS HR & Management Development Services venture, with Ramiz Allawala as the Workshop Leader. It was a day on which the do-gooders of the world would have rejoiced and revelled, as strategies to unravel the warps in social interaction got discussed threadbare. Logic has a weight all of its own, and a few yawns were perceptible as the mind moved from the frivolous to the serious in contemplating that which should be in place of that which is.

Societies operating in high trust cultures enjoy material and mental gain, and low trust results in degeneration. The word Management comes from the Greek word 'Manus', which means the hand of a charioteer with which he controls the horses. Hence Management becomes synonymous with control and manipulation. Control and manipulation are not conducive to building Trust, which requires a conscious investment of time and energy. In the absence of trust a whole lot of undesirables like greed, fear, control and conflict creep in, creating an 'Us versus Them' hostility. Trust is defined as a firm reliance on the integrity, ability and character of a person to say what he or she means.

There are three types of trust - Simple, Blind and Authentic, with Trust and Integrity being quoted together. Integrity comes from the Greek word 'Integer' meaning 'whole'.

Distrust creeps in when the mind wanders and wonders in a low trust domination matrix, even as wandering and wondering in a high trust culture yields discovery and delight.
The more corrupt a republic the less trust there is and the more laws it has. Romans crumbled due to over-reach.

Closure, or the keeping of one's commitment, is critical to generating authentic trust. It entails the making of true and deliverable promises with a conscious deletion of false or exaggerated promises. Implied promises not kept with generate distrust. The edge belongs to those who are technology driven, seek innovation, and live in a high-trust environment.

Non-violent communication expedites the building of trust, and requires the translation of communication into a language of feelings and needs. Become an attorney of needs. Fundamental attributes error. The removal of graffiti on New York trains by the mayor, not by a use of coercive force but by repainting the carriages every morning, resulted in a brought back trust in governance with a consequent lowering of crime on trains. When the context changes the behaviour changes also. It is dangerous to stereotype people as honest or dishonest. It's the context within which they operate that determines the values they will hold.

Closure requires specific details, the 'Who, what, when', with even-handed, non-conditional, clear and familiar wording. The emphasize is on positive action that deals with pending proceedings, and agrees on future action.

Making true promises entails the taking of risk and reinforcing the positive, with no correction undertaken without first establishing connection. It is imperative to avoid cordial hypocrisy, and say what you'll do, and do it!

Respect For All

Labels allow us to de-humanize as a prelude to inflicting harm. Humans don't harm humans. Shared suffering, sorrow, pain and loneliness aid in establishing connection, enabling the learning and growing in life. Establishing empathy enables us to see others as human, and realize that 'just like me he's trying to be happy.'

We don't trust others because we don't trust ourselves. We expect people to deliver without investing in their training. To generate trust it is essential to engage in non-judgemental empathy, and provide presence and emotional First Aid. Eliminating the 'blame game' and 'shame game', and directing consciousness to what works creates an environment that supports respect with problem-solving an automatic consequence. This requires being responsive and handling issues at the lowest possible level. The management must tell the truth and function as a role model. For an organization of 200 people, 15 to 20 people would comprise critical mass.

Trust is a covenant, not a contract. It is a one-way street, similar to unrequited love, implying that 'I will be good to you even if you're not good to me.' The power of the covenant is to provide space to remake a broken contract. It's all personal, with no differentiation between the personal and the professional.

The Grapevine As Indicator

Hallway chatter is an authentic indicator of whether the trust model is working. A successful trust model will yield a reduction in buzzing and gossiping, with an upswing in brainstorming for closure. People no longer look like they're about to die when admitting mistakes. There are more ideas flowing upwards from the rank and file, and the meetings are shorter with more closure with fewer pretended commitments and a quicker correction of those that do happen. There is more enthusiasm about work, and a distinct change in vocabulary that now reflects growing awareness about trust dynamics. Deadlines are being met. And the company man is now full of proud descriptions of positive changes within his organization when communicating with outsiders.

Spreading The Word

Connectors/Organizers, Experts/Mavens, and Salespeople comprise the triangle required to carry the High Trust message forward to the greatest number in search of critical mass on a macro level. The bottom-line is to move from control to self-regulation. If you don't regulate yourself, you get externally regulated. The more the external regulation, the less the space and inclination for self-regulation. Self-respect is the big issue, with the self as the starting point in the quest for change.

Heavy And Unrelenting Food For Thought

The daylong discourse provided all participants with plenty of food for thought and reflection. The physical mid-day sustenance at the Chandni Lounge was timely to replenish dwindling energy levels required to assimilate the weight of logic dished out by Ramiz during the course of the day. There can be no taking of issue with Ramiz Allawala's point of view. High Trust cultures are definitely a more desirable and productive route to achieving corporate and personal objectives. However, we are all human at the end of the day, and Ramiz may want to consider incorporating a bit of the frivolous to ease the pain of transition from the imperfect to the ideal.

Mr. Masood Naqvi of Taseer Hadi KPMG gave away the certificates to Workshop participants, and congratulated TCS for its meaningful forays into the realms of human resource development, a critical area in need of attention for the progress and prosperity of society. He said Islam enjoins respect and trust amongst people, and being a good Muslim is what its all about. Mr. Masood Naqvi was presented a memento to mark the occasion.