Trust.

"The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them." ~ Ernest Hemingway.

Trust is a touchy subject isn't it? ~ We give, and get, it in degrees. It depends on the situation and rarely, very rarely, is unconditional. The word is thrown around in business, and life, a lot. Trust to return a call, be on time, deliver as promised, or give exceptional service is all very nice ~ Yet many people seem to fall short of even that low a bar.

Trust is one of those things that people look at as situational. But ultimate, unconditional, trust? Well that's a whole different story.
Some give it up to the big guy. Some to a select few friends, or family. But when we are asked what determines who we trust - unconditionally. What's our answer? How do we decide? ~ It's good to know this - if only for ourselves. To know what our guidelines are.

So how do we decide who we trust unconditionally?  My answer is:

If I could trust you to raise my child.  ~ Or cover my back in war.

Then that is ultimate trust. Everything else is a matter of degrees.