Loyalty
Loyalty is one of those word that sounds old-fashioned and rather passé, but nothing could be further from the truth. Loyalty encompasses truthfulness, faithfulness and integrity, values that are as relevant today as they were in the past.
Perhaps the reason we don't hear very much about it is because we're not entirely certain we really aspire to it, or don't want to be held accountable for disloyalty?
Loyalty is an unswerving allegiance, faithfulness and fidelity to a commitment, person, nation, organisation or a cause. It provides the gold standard for relationship excellence. It's steadfast in good times and tested in bad.
Loyalty is found in what you do and what you say. It is willingly given, with a person's whole heart and soul. Loyal people are faithful to their word, and demonstrate this in action, service, and sometimes through sacrifice.
Where do your loyalties lie? How do you demonstrate your loyalty? Is that demonstration consistent in both good times and bad?
The absence of fidelity, loss of reputation, lack of trust, cynicism, loss of peace of mind and self-worth are the terrible consequences of disloyalty. Ask yourself: "What would it cost if I choose to be disloyal?" The answer is: your integrity, your ability to be authentic. It's not only what you take away from the other party, but also what you steal from yourself when you choose not to be loyal.
Without loyalty we lack a moral centre in our lives. Loyalty is a universal good, which binds people to a moral order and to one another. Hence, a conflict of loyalties is disastrous. It is like a civil war waging in our souls.
Loyalty, like trust, is a two way street – you have to give it to get it. We know instinctively that healthy relationships are built upon both a conscious and unconscious commitment to loyalty. It's an organic ingredient of healthy human chemistry. Think of your abiding friendships and most intimate relationships – aren't faithfulness and loyalty essential?
If friends and family meet in times of comfort and prosperity but leave when hardship and difficulty strike, it is clear that their friendship and love are not true. It is not fair, right, nor admirable to benefit from someone's company in good times but abandon them in times of hardship.
Remaining true to our deepest commitments is life-long work for us individually, as it is for every organisation of which we're a part. Yet, loyalty often takes a back seat to the less noble virtues of convenience, profit, expediency and self-interest. As for us individually, this fickle loyalty to our highest purposes is one of our greatest vulnerabilities.
Loyalty is a word that should remind all of us to honour our commitments to others and to ourselves. It is the rudder of life, giving it meaning and direction. Without a robust commitment to loyalty our lives and credibility are greatly diminished.
Our society is increasingly becoming characterised by unfaithfulness and disloyalty. We need to demonstrate greater strength, loyalty, and cohesiveness in our relationships to others and ourselves.
As a virtue, loyalty is sometimes complex and elusive. Its complexity is due to the fact that the value of loyalty depends both on the constancy of one's commitment to something or someone, and to some extent on the value of that to which one is faithful.
Chicken meets egg. Is it that people are disloyal? Or is it that people don't engender loyalty? The answer to both is yes. We need to give serious consideration to how can we both demonstrate greater loyalty while earning the loyalty of others. This is a question for every business and individual to ponder.
Loyalty is also elusive in our rapidly changing culture, and in the unfolding of our lives as well. Our alliances and allegiances change over time, sometime because of their nature or ours, but not always or only because we lack the virtue of loyalty.
We all become weakened by defections among customers, employers, employees, friends and family. If the primary objective of any relationship is trust creation, then we must never betray nor neglect the virtue of loyalty as trust builds loyalty and loyalty builds even greater trust. Each of us has to choose – either loyalty or hypocrisy - there is no middle ground.
Loyalty is one of those word that sounds old-fashioned and rather passé, but nothing could be further from the truth. Loyalty encompasses truthfulness, faithfulness and integrity, values that are as relevant today as they were in the past.
Perhaps the reason we don't hear very much about it is because we're not entirely certain we really aspire to it, or don't want to be held accountable for disloyalty?
Loyalty is an unswerving allegiance, faithfulness and fidelity to a commitment, person, nation, organisation or a cause. It provides the gold standard for relationship excellence. It's steadfast in good times and tested in bad.
Loyalty is found in what you do and what you say. It is willingly given, with a person's whole heart and soul. Loyal people are faithful to their word, and demonstrate this in action, service, and sometimes through sacrifice.
Where do your loyalties lie? How do you demonstrate your loyalty? Is that demonstration consistent in both good times and bad?
The absence of fidelity, loss of reputation, lack of trust, cynicism, loss of peace of mind and self-worth are the terrible consequences of disloyalty. Ask yourself: "What would it cost if I choose to be disloyal?" The answer is: your integrity, your ability to be authentic. It's not only what you take away from the other party, but also what you steal from yourself when you choose not to be loyal.
Without loyalty we lack a moral centre in our lives. Loyalty is a universal good, which binds people to a moral order and to one another. Hence, a conflict of loyalties is disastrous. It is like a civil war waging in our souls.
Loyalty, like trust, is a two way street – you have to give it to get it. We know instinctively that healthy relationships are built upon both a conscious and unconscious commitment to loyalty. It's an organic ingredient of healthy human chemistry. Think of your abiding friendships and most intimate relationships – aren't faithfulness and loyalty essential?
If friends and family meet in times of comfort and prosperity but leave when hardship and difficulty strike, it is clear that their friendship and love are not true. It is not fair, right, nor admirable to benefit from someone's company in good times but abandon them in times of hardship.
Remaining true to our deepest commitments is life-long work for us individually, as it is for every organisation of which we're a part. Yet, loyalty often takes a back seat to the less noble virtues of convenience, profit, expediency and self-interest. As for us individually, this fickle loyalty to our highest purposes is one of our greatest vulnerabilities.
Loyalty is a word that should remind all of us to honour our commitments to others and to ourselves. It is the rudder of life, giving it meaning and direction. Without a robust commitment to loyalty our lives and credibility are greatly diminished.
Our society is increasingly becoming characterised by unfaithfulness and disloyalty. We need to demonstrate greater strength, loyalty, and cohesiveness in our relationships to others and ourselves.
As a virtue, loyalty is sometimes complex and elusive. Its complexity is due to the fact that the value of loyalty depends both on the constancy of one's commitment to something or someone, and to some extent on the value of that to which one is faithful.
Chicken meets egg. Is it that people are disloyal? Or is it that people don't engender loyalty? The answer to both is yes. We need to give serious consideration to how can we both demonstrate greater loyalty while earning the loyalty of others. This is a question for every business and individual to ponder.
Loyalty is also elusive in our rapidly changing culture, and in the unfolding of our lives as well. Our alliances and allegiances change over time, sometime because of their nature or ours, but not always or only because we lack the virtue of loyalty.
We all become weakened by defections among customers, employers, employees, friends and family. If the primary objective of any relationship is trust creation, then we must never betray nor neglect the virtue of loyalty as trust builds loyalty and loyalty builds even greater trust. Each of us has to choose – either loyalty or hypocrisy - there is no middle ground.
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