| I recently watched a rerun of a Series 6 NCIS | | | | The upshot of the episode was that the Senator's |
| episode; as a rest in-between painting the stairs | | | | wife had committed the murder and they both |
| and walking the dogs. I was 'home alone' for a | | | | had tried to cover it up whilst 'framing' and |
| few days with most of the family away in Ireland | | | | murdering the Senator's aide, on the way. |
| at a wedding and visiting family plus son No2, | | | | That an ex member of the US Marine Corps and |
| away hiking in Bavaria. With the place to myself, | | | | 'friend' had betrayed his trust was a 'bitter pill to |
| plus dogs, it was an ideal time to work on the | | | | swallow' for Gibbs. As he says at the end, |
| stairs, painting alternate steps so that I could get | | | | "Trust and loyalty are important." |
| up and down easily. | | | | For me 'Trust' is at the centre of everything that |
| I had to 'lock' the dogs downstairs though, as | | | | we do together, from home to work. It is the |
| smart as they are, expecting them to step on | | | | fundamental 'building block' from which families, |
| every other footstep would have been a bit too | | | | communities, teams and organisations are built |
| much. | | | | from. |
| Back to NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative | | | | No trust - No Loyalty - No Engagement! |
| Service), the episode was called 'Capitol Offense' | | | | Stephen M. R. Covey in his book 'The Speed of |
| and involved Gibbs and the NCIS team getting | | | | Trust' spoke about a 'trust bank account' and how |
| involved in the world of Washington politics with | | | | hard it was to 'deposit' into it. In the military the |
| an ex-Marine Corps Officer, now Senator, turning | | | | need to trust each other is paramount and can |
| to Gibbs for his help in solving the murder of a | | | | mean literally 'life or death.' At home and in |
| female Naval officer. | | | | business the result of a lack of trust is likely to be |
| The link between Gibbs and the Senator goes | | | | less dramatic at the same time still crucial to any |
| back to the time when they were in Desert | | | | form of successful relationship or interaction. |
| Storm together and Gibbs was the then | | | | Sally Bibb and Jeremy Kourdi wrote in their book; |
| Lieutenant's Gunnery Sergeant. The basic story | | | | 'A Question of Trust:' |
| being that the Senator was asking for some | | | | "Trust is a fragile commodity: slow to develop, |
| support from Gibbs (Gunny) during an | | | | quick and easy to destroy." |
| investigation of a murder. | | | | As a leader it is my experience that simple |
| Gibbs trusted his ex-Lieutenant and acted | | | | actions can make the greatest difference when |
| accordingly whilst still remaining within the law. | | | | you are trying to 'fill' the 'trust bank account.' |
| The trust between the two had been built whilst | | | | Being consistent in what you say and do; being |
| in The Corps and on Operations together; trust | | | | open, honest and humble in your interactions with |
| that takes a long time to build and is not easily | | | | others are but a few characteristics that come to |
| given. | | | | mind. |
| Quick Note: If you have not seen this episode and | | | | A question: "What are you specifically doing that is |
| you don't want the ending spoilt, skip the next | | | | successfully developing this 'fragile commodity' of |
| couple of paragraphs: | | | | trust in your team or organisation? |