Money changes people. It’s an old cliché, but honestly, it’s a cliché for a reason. When you enter into a business partnership or a high-stakes contract, there is always this unspoken, underlying assumption of trust you will be dealt with fairly. You assume the other person sees the world the same way you do. You assume "fair" means the same thing to them as it does to you.
Often, it doesn't.
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I’ve seen dozens of handshake deals dissolve into messy litigation because people relied on vibes instead of verifiability. This isn't just about being cynical. It’s about the reality of how human psychology interacts with financial incentives. If you’re sitting across the table from someone and you’re banking on the idea that they’ll "do the right thing" simply because you’ve been friends for ten years, you are already in a dangerous spot.
The Psychological Trap of Blind Faith
Most people think trust is a binary. You either trust someone or you don't. But in business, that's a total myth. Genuine trust you will be dealt with in a professional capacity isn't about the other person's "goodness." It's about alignment.
When incentives shift, behavior shifts.
Take the classic "Founder’s Dilemma" studied by Noam Wasserman at Harvard Business School. He found that a staggering percentage of startups fail not because the product was bad, but because the founders didn't have a clear, written understanding of how to handle conflict or equity splits. They relied on "trust" in the early days. Then, the first million dollars hit the bank account, and suddenly, everyone had a different memory of what was promised over beers three years ago.
You have to understand the "Principal-Agent Problem." This is a foundational economic theory. Basically, it says that one person (the agent) will always act in their own best interest, even if it’s supposed to be in the interest of the person who hired them (the principal). Unless, of course, their interests are perfectly aligned by a contract. Without that alignment, your "trust" is basically just a hope. And hope is a terrible business strategy.
What Trust You Will Be Dealt With Actually Looks Like in a Contract
If you want to ensure you are dealt with fairly, you need to stop looking at the person and start looking at the paper. A good contract isn't an insult to a relationship; it’s the insurance policy that keeps the relationship healthy. It defines the "Trust You Will Be Dealt With" parameters so there is no room for interpretation.
There are a few non-negotiables that I’ve learned the hard way.
- The Exit Strategy: Most people focus on how to start. They never talk about how to leave. If one partner wants out, how is the business valued? If you don't have a pre-agreed formula (like a multiple of EBITDA or a "Buy-Sell" agreement), you're going to fight.
- The "Bad Boy" Clauses: In real estate and private equity, these are standard. They trigger specific penalties if someone does something intentionally shady, like commingling funds or gross negligence.
- Decision Rights: Who has the final say? If it's 50/50, you have a recipe for a deadlocked company. You need a tie-breaker.
I remember a guy—let's call him Mark—who started a marketing agency with his best friend. They had "total trust." No formal operating agreement. Two years in, the friend wanted to pivot to AI, and Mark wanted to stick to traditional creative work. Because they had no mechanism to resolve the dispute, they spent $40,000 on lawyers just to figure out how to close the doors. The trust was gone. The money was gone. The friendship was gone.
All because they didn't want to "be awkward" by signing a formal document at the start.
The Role of Reputation in Modern Business
In the age of the internet, your reputation is basically a public credit score for your soul. But even that has limits.
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We see this in the "Gig Economy" or on platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. The platform provides the trust you will be dealt with through an escrow system. You don't trust the freelancer in the Philippines; you trust the system that holds the money until the work is verified. This is "Trust-less Trust," a concept that's becoming huge in the blockchain world.
But let's be real: most of our lives don't happen on a blockchain. They happen in emails, Slack messages, and Zoom calls.
When To Walk Away
Sometimes the red flags are screaming at you, but you ignore them because the deal looks too good. If someone says, "Don't worry about the details, I'll take care of you," you should probably run. That is the universal code for "I want to keep the power to change the deal later."
Reliable people want things in writing. They want clarity because it protects them, too. If someone gets offended because you asked for a written summary of a verbal agreement, that's not a person you can trust. It’s someone who relies on the fog of ambiguity to navigate their business dealings.
The Fine Print of Human Interaction
Behavioral economics shows us that people are "predictably irrational." Dan Ariely has written extensively about this. We think we’re being honest, but we’re very good at justifying our own selfish behavior. If I take a slightly bigger cut of the profits, I tell myself it’s because I worked harder this month. I’m not "betraying" your trust; I’m "balancing the scales."
This is why trust you will be dealt with requires constant maintenance. It’s not a "set it and forget it" thing.
- Monthly Check-ins: Don't wait for a crisis. Discuss the numbers and the feelings behind the numbers.
- Audit Rights: In many commercial leases or royalty deals, you have the right to audit the books. Use it. Not because you suspect fraud, but to ensure the "system" is working.
- Clear Communication: If you’re feeling slighted, say it immediately. Resentment is the silent killer of professional trust.
Actionable Steps to Secure Your Interests
Stop relying on the "vibe" of a meeting. Start building a framework that makes trust unnecessary.
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- Draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Before the heavy legal fees start, write down the basic terms in plain English. If you can't agree on the MOU, you'll never agree on the 50-page contract.
- Define "Success" and "Failure": What happens if the project loses money? Who covers the debt? Most people only plan for the upside. The real trust you will be dealt with happens during the downside.
- Use Third-Party Intermediaries: For large transactions, use escrow. For complicated partnerships, use a neutral board of advisors.
- Trust, But Verify: Ronald Reagan was onto something. It’s a cliché because it works. Check the work. Review the invoices. Ask for the receipts.
In the end, professional trust is a byproduct of transparency and accountability. You don't build it by being "nice." You build it by being clear. If you find yourself saying "I hope they'll be fair," you've already lost the battle. Take control of the narrative, get the details in writing, and ensure that the trust you will be dealt with is backed by something more substantial than a smile and a handshake. This is how you survive in business, and more importantly, how you keep your sanity.