The High Price of Trust

Candido Rondon felt something whiz past his head as he approached the hidden village of the Nambikwara. Seconds later an arrow glanced off his helmet followed by another 5 foot long arrow which struck him in the chest and lodged into his thick leather bandolier. He quickly turned his mule around, arrow still protruding straight out of his chest, and ordered his men to go the other way without returning fire on this Amazon tribe.

What Candido Rondon accomplished as a leader and explorer is nothing short of miraculous. Rondon was commissioned to build a telegraph line in the early 1900’s across the Brazilian jungle all the way to Peru and Bolivia. At that time the Amazon was virtually unexplored and was home to numerous hostile tribes. Rondon knew that the only way he would be able to complete the mission was to enlist the help of the very tribes who wanted to kill him and his men.

As Rondon and his men ventured deeper and deeper into the jungle, they began coming into contact with various tribes. Some tribes like the Nambikwara had until then, killed every westerner they had come into contact with. Rondon knew the only way to accomplish his goal was to win the trust of these warriors. This required patience, gifts, and sacrifice.

In a very similar way, your success as a manager is dependent upon your team. The more trust you build between yourself and them, the more effective you will be as a leader. Many of the tribes distrusted Rondon initially, believing he had come to harm them. It took a long time and many meetings before a fragile trust began to build. Real trust is not something you can rush. It is built over time and requires patience from leaders. Trust is built when you can demonstrate to your employees that they are more than a number, or a pack mule to accomplish a task. When we take an interest in their development and show we also want to help them, trust begins to take root.

Rondon was always giving gifts to the various tribes to show his intent was one of peace. Giving before taking has been the formula for winning trust for centuries.  Taking erodes trust while giving helps build it. As a manager finding regular ways to give back to your staff is key to long-term partnerships. Whether it is praise, feedback, your time, or your concern, making your staff feel that they are getting something in return for their efforts in addition to a paycheck is essential.

Rondon and his men also sacrificed to preserve trust. On many occasions, Rondon and his men were attacked in the middle of the night, but Rondon refused to let his men retaliate. He was quoted as having said, “Die if you must, but do not kill.”
If Rondon or any of his men had retaliated, the delicate trust that was being built would have been lost. Now you might wonder how this relates at all to your workplace. Of course we hope that none of your staff have to give their life in order to hit your Q3 targets.

“Where’s Jane?”
“HR got her.”
“They hired her?”
“No, they killed her.”
“Typical.”

But from time to time you will face arrows and attacks from your own staff. How you handle these will determine your future influence with an employee. Retaliation may feel good for the moment but will destroy what you are trying to create. Grace, patience and compassion are hallmarks of great leaders who have learned to manage their emotions in times of injustice. No one ever said winning trust is a fair deal. You always have to give more than you receive, at least initially.

Building trust is an investment. But in time, its amazing the benefits you will reap in terms of productivity and happy employees. At the end of the day, those who work under you must feel that you are not just using them for their resources, but that you also want to help them achieve their goals as well. When you read some of the stories of Rondon and his men as they struggled to complete the telegraph line you will be amazed at their courage, and resolve to win the trust and eventual help of the Amazon tribes which were crucial to their success.





James Robbins is a rare mix of management consultant, speaker, and adventurer, who is devoted to helping managers become great leaders who bring out the best in their people.