George Washington. (1732-1799), the father of the United States and its first commander in chief, once said: "Be courteous with all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence." I agree wholeheartedly with Washington, particularly when it comes to the workplace. Yes, we should be polite to and respectful toward all those with whom we cross paths. What we should not do, however, is give away our trust too easily. Never confide in someone until he or she has earned your trust. Many of us have trusted people we thought we could rely upon, only to get severely burned. It has made us think twice about doing everything from giving a potential partner our heart to discussing personal details about our lives with coworkers. Everyone we meet should be vetted. Unfortunately, many of us let our emotions guide us in our daily interactions with people. We form positive impressions of people without really knowing them that well....