The Eye of the World - Chapter 34 & 35 [#100Days, Day 25]
June 6, 2019•464 words
The Quality of Trust
Mat and Rand finally make it to Caemlyn. Despite the awe-inspiring grandeur, the city is broiling in turmoil as well. The lads end up at Thom's recommended inn, The Queen's Blessing. They mention Thom and show the gleeman's flute and case to Basel Gill, the innkeeper.
Rand put a hand on Mat's shoulder. "It's all right, Mat. He's a friend."
Master Gill glanced at Matt, and sighed. "I suppose I am at that."
The Eye of the World, p. 452-453
"You two look the right sort, and I do believe you were - are - friends of Thom, but it's hard times and stony days. I don't suppose you can pay? No, I didn't think so. There's not enough of anything, and what there is costs the earth, so I'll give you beds - not the best, but warm and dry - and something to eat, and I cannot promise more, however much I'd like."
Basel Gill, The Eye of the World, p. 453
At face value, it seems almost far-fetched to think that such a innocuous interaction would be so beneficial. After all, these people have never met before, the friend they have in coming has, at best, disappeared, and after essentially running from Four Kings to Caemlyn, I'm sure the lads are in rough shape. Why would Master Gill be so generous?
Trust.
At the very core of leadership resides trust. We're entrusted with people, projects, funds, equipment or any combination of those, and more. It's not just doing the "right thing"; it's doing the right thing because it's the right thing. It's not even considering any other option because it would violate a trust in some capacity. It's not necessarily an action on the scale of Master Gill; simply arriving to a scheduled meeting on time builds and enhances trust. Saying 'no' to projects that would divert your focus from the real priority is a gesture of trust: you've made a commitment to the larger good of the organization and intend on keeping to it. Every interaction with a team member is an opportunity to continue to develop and refine the trust. Doing so gets a team to the point where they can operate autonomously with the goals of the organization in mind, much like Master Gill takes in Rand and Mat.