In software development, trust is a powerful and seductive framing that can lead to unchallenged arguments. However, its important to recognize the limitations of trust and acknowledge the need for guardrails and checks in the process. Asking whether we trust our colleagues to write good code is not the right question; instead, we should focus on creating a system where mistakes can be caught and corrected. The need to belong is also a fundamental human trait, but it should not come at the expense of excluding others or creating a dysfunctional organization. Ultimately, software engineering is about delivering quality code, and that requires both trust and accountability.
