The Jomag Take #038 Handshake

THE JOMAG TAKE #038 Handshake

Business as it really is.

When a Handshake Means Something

In today’s world, people trust contracts.

Lawyers.

Clauses.

Fine print.

Nothing wrong with that.

But there are still moments in business when a handshake carries more weight than paper.

I’ve experienced that personally.

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When I shook hands with Sid Consunji

Sid looked at me and said:

“Pare, walang iwanan.”

Now let’s be clear.

That did not mean our relationship was for life.

It did not mean blind loyalty.

It did not mean no exit.

What it meant was:

We will make this business work — through thick and thin.

Through challenges. Through pressure. Through disagreements.

“Walang iwanan” means:

• I will not disappear when it gets hard.

• I will not fold when problems come.

• I will go all out to make this project succeed.

• And I expect you to do the same.

That’s not sentimentality.

That’s commitment.

- 

When I shook hands with Ramon Ang

There was a moment when someone, speaking in Chinese, told RSA:

“Take care of him.”

That doesn’t mean:

• I will baby you.

• I will protect you from mistakes.

• I will carry you.

What it meant was:

Because of what you did 

because of how you performed 

because of how you conducted yourself 

there is trust now.

And trust at that level is currency.

It means:

• You will be considered for future projects.

• You will be given space to operate.

• You will be expected to deliver at a higher standard.

It’s not protection.

It’s opportunity — with pressure.

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What people misunderstand about handshakes

A handshake like that is not casual.

It carries:

• reputation

• network

• accountability

• history

When someone at that level shakes your hand, they are not just agreeing to a deal.

They are attaching their name.

And men who built real enterprises don’t gamble their names lightly.

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The old-school principle still works

In serious business circles, especially in Asia:

Your name travels faster than contracts.

In many introductions, I have been told - “your reputation precedes you”.

If you break your word,

you don’t just lose a deal.

You lose access.

That’s why some handshakes move faster than board resolutions.

Because trust already exists.

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What this means for leaders

If you want your handshake to matter:

• Deliver consistently.

• Protect your reputation.

• Don’t overpromise.

• Show up when things go wrong.

• Stay steady when pressure rises.

Over time, your word becomes leverage.

And when your word carries weight,

you don’t need to shout.

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The deeper lesson

“Walang iwanan” doesn’t mean forever.

It means:

We are serious.

“Take care of him” doesn’t mean protection.

It means:

He earned trust.

Both carry responsibility.

Not comfort.

In my partnerships, my handshake means we are setting up this venture, partnership or business so that once we take care of the company enough that it will grow, this company will now take care of both of us. This is what “walang iwanan” means to me.

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JOMAG VERDICT

In a world obsessed with contracts,

the rarest currency is still integrity.

Build your name to the point where your handshake means something.

Because when your word is trusted,

opportunities don’t need long explanations.

They need performance.

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JOMAG PRESS

Business as it really is.