WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GOOD-OLD TRUST AND WORD-OF-MOUTH?
Pic.: Aparna Khanolkar Sheth
Yes,
if you are in business – whatever kind it may be – you need to respect money;
you need to discuss money matters with your customers and suppliers both, with
your lenders and borrowers both. And, above all, you need to be fair in your
dealings...
Else, you have no business to be in business...
Well, the point taken, sir, with all humility.
But, the best of the best paperwork, the warranties and guarantees,
penalty clauses and promise can not do for you what genuine trust and a sincere
word-of-mouth can...
There are good bosses and there are bad bosses, just as
there are good employees and there are bad employees... Similarly, there are
good customers, suppliers, borrowers and lenders.... and there are bad ones,
too...
When the business is small, and the relationship is
direct, it is possible to depend largely on trust, manage without paperwork and
clauses... But, when the business grows big, and the relationship becomes
multi-layered and indirect, the need to put everything in black and white, with warranties and guarantees etc, becomes a real need.
So, I have nothing against the agreements and clauses...
Leave alone business, I have nothing against man and woman
– yes, the quintessential sweethearts or love birds – insisting on signing what
they call, now a days – the Pre-Nuptial contract!
Who knows? Who wants the trouble, the big trouble?
So, it all makes perfect sense; isn't it?
I am
an old-fashioned, hard-core believer in the power of heart and tongue... Heart
trusts, and tongue promises... When both of them work together, I believe, a
lot can be achieved...
I have seen that happening in my own life, in my own
small area of operation. Whenever I have operated from fear and insecurity in
my heart, I have felt the heaviness while discussing money matters... Haggling,
cribbing, being extra-cautious and calculative... all these come from this
basic state of lack... On the other hand, whenever, I have operated from trust
and security, I have felt absolute lightness and comfort in my dealings...
In such dealings, money doesn't come up for discussion at
all; and, when it does, there is simply no haggling, no cribbing... You quote
it, you get it. He quotes it, you give it. You don’t worry about the warranties and guarantees... You don’t insist on receipts, vouchers, bank guarantees and
penalty clauses... You just do some good business and leave it at that...
Impractical?
I don’t know.
Last
evening, a lady had come with her young-son to enroll in my class. “Sir, do you
remember many years ago, you had taught Neena* who now lives in Canada
Now, how practical is that?
Honestly, I didn't recollect who Neena was. Twenty-five
years had rolled by... and, a woman, who lives in a far away country, vouches
for you like this!
Whatever happened to good-old trust and word-of-mouth?
“Man doesn't live by bread alone.” Let’s not forget this:
When Jesus sent away the Satan with these words, he (Satan) was trying to tempt
Jesus showing the magnificence of the glittering world, promising him enviable
wealth, fame and worldly glory...Jesus had just ended his forty-day fast and
all set to start the mission He was sent here for... And, here was the Tempter
trying to seduce Him...
I add, “Nor does man run business for money alone!”
Banks still lend you money... yes, on trust...
Employees still work for you... yes, without pay...
Suppliers still supply to you... yes, without insisting
on payment...
Doctors, advocates, architects, counselors and teachers
still practice... yes, without talking about their fees...
And, above all, the sweethearts still marry... yes, without scribbling a single word on paper!
Naïve?
Naaaaa!
* The name is changed
GERALD D’CUNHA
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