Jan, Ann, Jeanne and Gloria played a significant role in my career. I owe each of them a debt. Each one worked with me as my executive assistant. Their excellent skills made me more effective. Yet something beyond their skills was more important to me. In our close working relationship, I let down my guard and was candid about what was going on, the good things and not so good where I had concerns. I often shared extremely confidential information making me vulnerable with them. What I valued and was most helpful for me, was that each one, in their own way and with their own words, let me know “I’ve got your back.”

The phrase, “I’ve got your back”, means you don’t have to worry about a sneak attack on you from behind, you can focus on looking forward.

Have you experienced the opposite type of relationships in your career? My guess is you have and I’m sorry to say that I have too. I once worked on a team where everyone didn’t “have each other’s back”, trust didn’t exist. Saying “yes” didn’t really mean “yes”. It was dysfunctional, it was draining. I’ve also had people who worked for me, whom I thought I could trust, yet sadly learned from experiences that I couldn’t.

It’s hard to determine if there is anything or anyone that we can trust these days. Sadly, many choose not to trust, because they will never be disappointed. This is reflected in a post I saw on LinkedIn from someone who gave the following career advice,

“Don’t ever attach yourself to a person, a place, a company, an organization or project.”

The post continued with guidance to only attach a calling, purpose or mission and the reason was “that’s how you keep your power & your peace.”

How sad. Trust is essential in our life and without it we are lonely and doomed to failure. Life is so much better, work is more fun, when you can completely trust others. It frees and relaxes you, allowing you to focus forward instead of dividing your attention, worrying about who will fail you.

COVID19 has rocked our world, causing all of us to wonder what the future will look like. People have lost loved ones, jobs, businesses, and relationships this year. I’m confident that everyone, myself included, is looking forward to 2021, believing it has to be better than 2020.

Amid all this uncertainty, we are celebrating Christmas this week. Don’t miss it. Celebrate the birth of the one we can always trust. He never let’s go of us, He’s there every step of the way.  He has our back covered, if we’ll accept it. All He expects is that we put our trust in Him. It means giving up whatever control we think we have and saying, “I trust you and I trust your plan for my life.”

The scriptures are full of God’s promises that He is there for us.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. Jeremiah 17:17 (NLT)

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10

Celebrate on Christmas day and let go of all the troubles you are carrying and give them to the one we can trust and never fail us. Merry Christmas!