The word trust comes from the Latin “confidentia,” which in turn derives from the verb “confidere,” meaning to have complete faith or to trust completely. This literally means to believe in someone or something with complete faith.

In this regard, there is no doubt that confidence is essential for all of us to face the challenges that life constantly presents us, whether on a personal, family or work level, of course.

Therefore, based on trust and how it influences decision-making, I will share with you in the following lines a family event that happened a few days ago.

My eldest daughter, Mariana, who is currently 22, has had her driver’s license for over a year now. That’s why my wife, Jessica, and I decided to leave our car in Buenos Aires. This way, my eldest daughter and her sister (who doesn’t yet have a driver’s license) could get around more easily. Also, in one of our last conversations before moving from Buenos Aires to Bogotá, where my wife, my school-aged daughter, and I now live, we explained that keeping the car came with responsibilities they should be aware of, such as taking the car to the mechanic when necessary, getting the annual vehicle inspection, checking the insurance policy’s validity, and so on.

Three days ago, Mariana called me, her voice trembling, to tell me she’d been in a minor car accident at 8:30 pm. It was caused by the rain in Buenos Aires and the apparent sudden braking of the car in front of her. This resulted in minor damage to our car’s front bumper. The driver of the other car got out to assess the damage. Mariana told him she would take responsibility and contact her insurance company. The driver, an elderly man, calmly reassured her after confirming she was unharmed. They then went their separate ways.

So, based on this event, I share some lessons with you, which, although personal and familial, can be extrapolated to the workplace.

• Try to stay calm and make logical decisions.
• Always act with honesty; in the long run, it pays off well.
• Always take responsibility for the consequences of our actions.
• Generate empathy through good and fluid communication.
• An accident can happen to anyone; material things can be fixed or repaired.
• The good news is that none of those involved in the accident suffered personal injuries.
• This event will make Mariana more resilient overall.

• Our trust (father and daughter) has strengthened. I told her that she acted correctly and that, despite the physical distance, both her mother and I trust her and will always support her.

To accompany the teachings and for reflection, I share a couple of quotes…

1. “Let your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” —Nelson Mandela
2. “When your values ​​are clear, making decisions becomes easier.” —Roy E. Disney

Let’s continue building closeness and trust in all the environments where we work; only in this way will we have a better country for future generations. And don’t forget: Let’s keep rowing hard against the current and out into the open sea!