Pay attention to the tension.

Sometimes things happen. Sometimes things are preventable, and sometimes things are not preventable. There are expected occurrences and unexpected occurrences.

Some host a default operating system of suspicion over trust, and some operate with trust over suspicion. It is not right or wrong, but an observation that most likely stems from environment, personality, and past recollections/experiences.

There was a situation with cleaners where money was missing, things were out of place, and there were signals of areas not cleaned that were confirmed as cleaned.

Without hard evidence, there is only accusation. This is never an approach that ends well. Emotions stirred, relationships fracture, and sometimes partnerships can be shattered to a point of irreparable damage.

Specifically, a call was received. The person calling was in distress. Accusations made and things of value missing. I was asked to skim through surveillance records. Cleaners were the suspect.

Nothing was known that called for reaching beyond our organization towards our partner in contract, and so I had to communicate in a way that diffused the tension with my coworker who was worked up.

Although theft on camera was not found, there was something I could use as leverage to connect outside the organization. The cleaner had brought her kids into work!

Three children were running around the facilities unattended and after hours in an area that was not safe. One child was jumping off anything he could climb on. One girl found an area to play pretend in, and the youngest child was trying to help the busy mon by vacuuming in the other room… she may have been around 5.

Although theft was not found on camera (which was the trigger for me to be contacted), the footage of children unattended and unsupervised was enough for me to connect with the contractor’s principal.

I communicated thoroughly regarding the situation, and noted that there was also money missing. I was very stern to note that I am not accusing or seeking reparations regarding the situation of money because there was no hard evidence, but the unveiling of the worker operating out of protocol and policy was obvious and undebatable. This allowed the principal to form his own investigation which gave us an opportunity to mend a fracturing relationship between two organizations.

Another case,

An item was missing. Multiple outside contractors involved. One contractor had all the arrows pointing towards them.

In choosing to operate with trust over suspicion I chose to inform my direct report to seek thorough investigation with our own team prior to us beginning to seek communication outside of our organization.

My approach is never to form tension between organizations without hard evidence because statistically, miscommunication is the culprit.

I scanned surveillance, prompted teams, and reviewed calendars looking for potential resolution. Seeing multiple contractors/organizations overlapping during the window of loss cause an inability to point a finger. The ‘signs’ marked a specific team, but this team had a history of professionalism that was intensely out or character to consider accusation, but obviously they were not removed from being primary suspect.

One thing pressed hardest… known miscommunication internally regarding small things. This is common in a trusting organization. Small things get missed because everyone who frequently works together operates with so much love and trust that people ‘feel’ there is no reason to communicate small stuff. I see this and hear this about marriages frequently, and these occurrences of operating on autopilot can lead to more internal tension than desired, and typically bogs down systems.

There was an internal event being held. This item was taken for the event. The person overseeing the item was informed in passing (with no written record) of the need for the item. And so, it was taken.

Another coworker, who was traversing the area, noticed the item missing and reported it to me and the primary caretaker. The primary caretaker in the moment of tension simply forgot about the conversation in passing and led to the investigation and ultimately the blame game of potential ‘thieves’.

Within 24 hours, the item was located and in transport to return home.

These two examples reflect a process in which trust over suspicion can protect people’s livelihood, people’s reputations, organizational tension, and partnership tension.

In my experience, suspicion over trust does the exact opposite every time. Those who get ‘lucky’ occasionally where suspicion over trust leads to result is just that… luck.

In a world where leaders can ultimately ruin careers, families, and potentially destroy lives/communities… there is an ever growing need for more to be trained in approaches regarding the navigation of intense situations, circumstances, and tension.

To me, Christian Libertarianism has been the best approach and is the best approach for a baseline operating system. It calls for autonomy, patience, respect, and trust, while not being ignorant of liberty and freedom which people can use to both help others selflessly and also hurt others selfishly,.,

As Always,

God Bless,

James Arthur Ferguson