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Loyalty
December 27th, 2012
by Bill Boyajian

Credible leaders build loyal followers. This isn’t at the top of the agenda. It follows naturally when, in the course of everyday business, they adhere to the powerful principles of honesty and humility.

Loyalty is something you earn, not something you demand. You have to build it through credibility — in you and your organization. Loyalty is the result of people feeling appreciated. Most people want to be loyal to those they work for, at least until such time that they show they don’t deserve it.

Suppose you are the new head of a department or division. You inherit a number of people from past leadership. You want to make sure you have their support, but how do you go about it? Well, what you don’t do is haul people into your office and demand their loyalty. You can’t demand loyalty. You must earn it by first earning respect.

Loyalty doesn’t mean sticking with an organization for a lifetime. Plenty of people do that and complain about things constantly. I would rather have people work hard and do a great job than reward them for sticking around for 20 years — possibly because they’ve got nowhere else to go.

Don’t get me wrong. I like people who stay the course. Heck, I did it for 31 years. But longevity alone is not the measure of loyalty. Demand excellence in staff members, but don’t demand loyalty. Earn people’s loyalty by being a credible leader.



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–Charles Denaburg,
Managing Partner,
Levy’s Fine Jewelry
Birmingham, AL

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Leitzel Fine Jewelry
Hershey & Myerstown, PA

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Kizer-Cummings Jewelers
Lawrence, KS