Navigating Professional Relationships: A Lesson in Trust
Several months ago, I reached out to three individuals on LinkedIn, seeking a $1,000+ loan to finance my organization’s ISO certification. I offered to repay the loan with 20% interest and even proposed staying out of the PMP market, redirecting my clients to them — an offer I believed was mutually beneficial. Unfortunately, I was out of contract at the time, and my bank (GTB) was unable to provide quick credit. I was informed that without ISO 9001:2015 certification, all our bids in the Nigerian oil and gas sector would be futile.
Two of the individuals politely declined my request, but the third person — whom I held in high regard — responded by gaslighting me, accusing me of bullying, and misquoting my messages. I understand that sometimes nuances in language can be lost, especially in international communication, but the response was unexpected and deeply disappointing.
Despite my frustration, I remained calm and refrained from using any offensive language. I attempted to clarify the situation, but this individual ultimately decided to sever ties, claiming I had crossed a line by asking for the loan — even though I offered to formalize the arrangement with legal agreements, ensuring protection in the event of default.
This week, we successfully covered 70% of the ISO fees using our founder’s salary and completed our audit with the external auditor. I informed this individual that the matter had been resolved, but they remained firm in their decision to cut ties.
Lesson Learned: This experience has taught me that not everyone is a true friend or ally, and some may see opportunities to undermine rather than support. Thankfully, I have no skeletons in my cupboard, so even if I were investigated, I have nothing to fear.
COO, BIZVILLE PROJECT MANAGEMENT Limited
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