One thing I've noticed as a practitioner of "yin" mentality, is that if you expect the best of people, they usually live up to it. Not always. But most of the time. If you expect the worst of people, you won't usually get their absolute worst, but you'll get their "worse than average". Trust engenders trust. It's the solution to the prisoner's dilemma.

Of course protect yourself to a reasonable degree. But a lifetime of treating people with the benefit of the doubt and assuming the best of them, has not let me down so far. Most of the time I'm validated in my trust.