One day, a scorpion approaches a frog sitting at the edge of a pond. The scorpion says, “Frog, please be a good neighbor and carry me across the river, as I cannot swim.”
The frog, well aware of the scorpion’s reputation, says, “I am well aware of your habit of stinging and killing frogs, and have been warned not to trust you. The answer is no.”
But the scorpion persists and says, “I regret the others who have done such things in the past. But I’m not like the others. I’m an honorable scorpion with good intentions. Besides, it doesn’t make any sense for me to sting you. If I do, we’ll both drown. Please, give me the benefit of the doubt.”
The frog agrees, and the scorpion climbs upon his back. Halfway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog! The frog can’t believe it! As he starts to drown, paralyzed, he says to the scorpion, “Why did you sting me? Now you’ll drown and die with me!”
The scorpion simply replies, “I couldn’t help it. It’s in my nature.”
A few things…
NEVER trust the person who swears, “This time it will be different.” If that person or company has a reputation for bad behavior, what makes you think this time it will be different?
When someone reveals who they are through their actions, believe them.
Talk IS cheap (unless you’re talking to an attorney, LOL). If someone does you wrong, don’t buy into them rationalizing their bad behavior, especially if they start pointing fingers and blaming their circumstances, their boss, their organization, etc. Trust should be EARNED—and if someone gets angry because you refuse to “just trust” them or give them the benefit of the doubt AFTER they’ve screwed you over or failed to keep a promise, run, don’t walk, the other way.
And finally…
Your reputation enters the room before you do. Doing the right thing may hurt in the short term. You might get screwed over, taken advantage of, and burned, but know that consistently standing on principle and doing the right thing protects the most important asset you have: your reputation.
Don’t give yourself permission to be a scorpion just because they stung you first.
