Trust Comes From Doing Your Duty in the Military, in Business, or as a Child

In Basic Training, Soldiers memorize general orders that begin with “I will”. They learn the habit of doing their Duty, as it’s literally a matter of life and death in combat.

Duty: A foundation of trust

As a Boy Scout, I learned in my oath “to do my best to do my duty to God and country”. Little did I know that those simple words aimed at molding a child would become a recurring theme throughout my career as a Soldier. The Boy Scouts knew that training was necessary for me to learn to do my Duty in the little things so that as an adult, where consequences are more significant, I would habitually deliver.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. (1 Corinthians 13:11)

As a leader, I learned to trust those who have a habit of delivering.

In Basic Training, Soldiers memorize general orders that begin with “I will”. They learn the habit of doing their Duty, as it’s literally a matter of life and death in combat. Importance of Duty is emphasized: