The Loyalty Compass
"Look out for the people who look out for you. Loyalty is everything." Conor McGregor
Loyalty is defined as a strong feeling of support or allegiance but the word and concept of loyalty is incomplete without some direction and, moreover, demonstration. Where does your loyalty arrow point? For me it is mainly in four directions. I'll call them the cardinal directions one might find on a compass. Everyone knows the four cardinal directions; North, South, East, and West. Here we will use up, down, left, and right.
North is loyalty up. Loyalty up means an obedience (never blind obedience) to a leader or a group such as a C-Suite, what it is promoting, and the direction it desires to take the organization. It means being the champion of a leader(s) intent for the organization. One can be critical of directives but only in the spirit of full support. Loyalty up means you have the boss(s) back and will do the right thing for him or her - and they know that.
Loyalty down means the boss(s) have the backs of their people. They are the champions of their people, underwriting mistakes, defending them, and creating a safe environment. They demonstrate this through their words and actions, recognizing and rewarding a person for their accomplishments, defending them from threats, and listening. It does not mean their people cannot be corrected or even admonished, but these things are done with the intent of growing them and making them the best they can be. It can also be demonstrated when a boss admits fault and accepts complete responsibility.
Loyalty left includes co-workers or teammates. Loyalty to this group means one does their part to the best they can in the support of others and the greater mission. A person loyal to their teammates fears the day he or she ever lets them down. He or she is ready to come to the aid of others in the organization. One acts selflessly toward others. Like the other directions of loyalty, one does not blindly support others, especially when they have done wrong. One is simply a dependable teammate.
Loyalty right is loyalty to oneself. This is probably the least popular as it denotes selfishness - "it's all about me." This selfish style of loyalty is quickly recognized for what it is and these people get voted off the island. Loyalty right centers around self-care - being the best version of oneself in order to lead others more effectively and or be a more productive member of the team. For instance a leader who is an introvert tells his or her team that they need some quiet time for the next hour. They do this to recharge their battery and think more deeply about things and they come out the other end better for their people. Loyalty right may also mean taking a needed vacation or trying to strike a balance between work and life. When one ignores loyalty right, they can be less loyal in other directions.
A compass will point in numerous directions throughout a given day. What goes up must come down but also left and right. One must think about how they are demonstrating loyalty in each of these directions. Loyalty is not anointed or automatic given a designated position in an organization. It is earned over time through word and deed and it can be destroyed by the stroke of a pen, sending of an email, text, or through misbehavior. Most importantly, loyalty is personal. We pledge our loyalty to missions, values, and our organizations for sure but at the end of the day, we are loyal to people. Ask yourself how loyal your behavior is. Survey your people to find out how loyal you are. Where is your compass pointing? Are you on azimuth?
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell