Ghost casually walks into a bar frequented by people who are a part of this thing of ours.  After a few drinks, he heard a disturbing comment from one of the people in the bar:

"You know, it seems that people in our line of work don't understand how this thing of ours should work.  Back in the day..."

At this point, Ghost was too annoyed to pay attention to the person anymore.  It was a catchphrase that started so many rehashed arguments.  But upon thinking about it, Ghost realized that there's probably many people who feel that this thing of ours isn't what they want it to be.  Ghost tuned back in to listen to the complaints just to get an idea of how people generally felt.

"... these kids don't even understand how to run a city, eliminate their competition, or have the presence that's required to run the show.  On top of that, we always see the same people and their ancestors are the ones in power."

A few other men at the bar nodded their heads in agreement.  These were people who have seen lots of things and knew what to look for.  At the same time, they were jaded about their position in life. 

After a few minutes of conversation, they noticed Ghost didn't join in on the conversation or add his two cents in.  They started thinking that he was spying on the group for information.  In order to back him into a corner, they started involving him in the conversation and were subtly pressuring him to give his opinion.  If he chose the wrong words, he may not have walked out of that bar.  Ghost realized this was going the wrong direction, so he spoke up.

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I think you guys are forgetting to discuss something critical when you talk about how this thing of ours doesn't measure up to your expectations.  A majority of the items that have changed, can be linked back to one basic root cause.  That is, building trust and respect among your family and your peers.

Take for example the most recent war, we had a few leaders who are no longer with us that publicly showed a face of building a coalition, but is that really what happened?  If I properly engaged with another businessman, I would at least be able to provide terms that are to mutual benefit.  If there are 14 businesses in the world, what is the best way to have manageable terms with the other 13 businesses so that you don't create unnecessary enmity?  Those terms could take the form of partnership, fear, or some other means of achieving stability.  All of the answers to my question are the respect and trust that needs to be built.  If you touch the other side's bottom line quickly and as a result mutual survival isn't feasible, then I would suggest that there wasn't a proper engagement in the first place.

Even if you had unsolvable issues with one business, and felt they were a threat to your interests, should your relationship with the other 12 businesses be so poor that you create a chain reaction that causes everyone to take a side based on fear or allegiances that are outside business considerations?

Ghost takes a drink after looking at each of the others in the eye.  Their worries about his allegiances appeared to be disappearing at this point.  After a brief moment considering how to best leave this, Ghost decided to finish his thought.

By no means am I advocating that all the problems of the world are solvable by discussion.  In fact, I don't claim to know much of what happened intimately because I wasn't in The Loop at the time.  There are always extenuating circumstances that are beyond those that are mentioned or that I can imagine.  Those circumstances will always create situations where talk just isn't good enough based on the threat that is imposed on our respective businesses.  However, I do think that whats missing is the true give and take between different businesses that doesn't cause every cigarette thrown on the ground or lit match to create fires that leave only scorched earth.

After his direct speech, the others who started the conversation looked at each other and had a quiet laugh at themselves for thinking he was just there for information.  At this point, Ghost offered to buy the others in the bar a round of drinks and asked them to chime in with their opinions of what he said, including those who weren't originally involved in the conversation.

Gavin was sitting at the bar, and he glanced over with curiosity as some of the other patrons seemed to corner a listening man, who then stood up and gave a short speech. Finishing his whiskey, Gavin offered his two cents.

"Not a bad speech, Ghost. I agree with a lot of what you said, for what it's worth."

He leaned back, stretching on his stool.

"The biggest thing I agree with you about? Is that conflict in our line of work tends to go from 0 to 60 really fucking fast. I feel like we're either totally at peace or we're in a freaking world war with no in between at all. You know what I'd be curious to see? Crew A has a major issue with Crew B. Crew A attacks Crew B. Everybody else sits tight and wait for those two crews- or maybe it's more accurate to say those two leaders- resolve their differences. Instead, it's like every war is the Great War all over again. Alliances drag people in, so just about everyone winds up involved in some capacity. But even though I think it's kind of a shame, I don't think that's really a fixable issue. It's just how our world works now, and it's hard to change decades of cultural growth, even if you had the most powerful regime in the world."

"As to what you said about building bonds? Sounds good, in theory. I believe it can be done... theoretically. But for how long? You need people committed to building those bonds- and most people just aren't."

"And hey... regarding 'back in the day'? Nostalgia is a hell of a drug."

Accepting another glass from the bartender, Gavin returns to his drink.

Having arrived at the bar a little later than planned Meredith waltzed through the doors and straight up to the bar. As she was ordering her first drink her attention was caught by a conversation. Listening in she waited politely until it was over and turned around with her drink.

"Respect and trust is a great thing to talk about. I think too many people expect these things in this day and age without really earning them. They expect it based on rank and positions and unfortunately it can be faked just to get by until a later date. This issue may be fixable but in order to really do so people will need to want to fix it."

Pausing Meredith took a sip of her drink and smiled.

"That's a great drink there. But moving back onto topic, Ghost you raised a very excellent point when you brought it up. In my own opinion in order to fix trust and respect it can't just be with the business heads. You need to respect the members working for you as well. Those are the people that are going to have your back when push to comes to shove, you hope.

Fixing these issues will lead to the likelihood of less leaks. Less ship jumping and bringing back the loyalty that once was. Don't get me wrong, there is still some loyalty around this place but more often then not people are rewarding for not seeing out their time with the leader they were supposed to have dedicated themselves too.

Trust and respect take time to build and are not automatic. The first step is realizing this and being patient while you gain that from your colleagues, your members, family, and friends."

Tossing back her drink Meredith turned towards the bar and pushed the glass forward. In doing so the bartender refilled it and she settled into a seat nearby.