Loyalty is a pretty powerful word when you think about it.  When I think of being loyal, it is more than simply being committed.  Loyalty represents total buy-in.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a cause, a person, or an organization, loyalty is a product of trust.

I remember back when I opened my first IRA and had the ability to choose where I could put my money.  My father had been a stock broker for a short while and I will never forget the advice that he gave me regarding investing.  You need to know the numbers but invest in the people leading the organization.

Good leader – good investment.  I think this is true most of the time.  I don’t follow the market much anymore but as someone in the leadership field, I often read about what business leaders are doing and how they impact their tribe.

What I find interesting are the articles I read about employee retention and turnover as related to the success of the company and the leadership in place.

What I have observed is that people are more loyal to the people they are working for than the dollar amount on their paycheck.  A down year with strong leadership does not necessarily create a mass exodus.  On the other hand, when a strong and trusted leader departs the organization, even though times may be good, there is a tendency for the main players to depart as well.

We know that a dog is man’s best friend.  Why is that?  I think it is because the dog could care less about the bottom line, where we live, what kind of car we drive or where the decimal point is on our paycheck.  The dog is not attached to any of that.  He simply trusts his master and knows that he cares about him.

So, does loyalty last forever?  It depends.  I would suggest that loyalty to a school, business or cause will only last as long as loyalty to those in charge exists.

I know my loyalty to men such as Joe Paterno (Penn State), Jim Tressel (Ohio State) and Sean Payton (New Orleans Saints) dropped after their integrity was called into question.  I would have considered myself a loyal fan and follower of these men prior to their poor choices becoming public.  Their books still sit on my bookshelf but I honestly don’t know how soon I will feel inclined to open them up again.

My point is this – The only way loyalty lasts forever is if the integrity behind the cause, person or organization remains intact.  As I said before, loyalty is the product of trust.  So I guess as long as there is trust, there can be loyalty.  Broken trust eliminates that loyalty.

So the next time you make the statement that you are loyal to something or someone, think about what it is about that thing or person that makes you loyal.

Loyalty is a bond that can provide both motivation and satisfaction.  But remember, it will only be as strong as the people behind it.  Be careful who you invest in and how much you depend on them, and more importantly, start with yourself.

***********************************************************************

Don’t miss a single post from Building What Matters by subscribing at the top left of this page. 

Help support us by clicking here and Liking our facebook page

Barry Smith    6/21/13   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2013

The post Does Loyalty Last Forever? appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.