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Loyalty the Reciprocal Success Factor

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Loyalty is essential for organizational and relational success. But loyalty is a two-way street. It works both ways, top-down and bottom-up. For you to benefit from what I call  The Reciprocal Success Effect…  pledging your loyalty to an organization or a relationship must be done correctly.

Do you have a desire…

to demonstrate your loyalty and seek favor from your seniors -for professional advancement -but not certain how to without seeming “fake”?

I wrote this blog, with that in my mind.

For the leader who desires to gain deeper insight in this decisive success virtue or the follower who’s aim is to become the future leader, My hope is that the seven revelations of loyalty add value to your life.

 

Read Related Article: OVERCOMING THE BLADE OF BRUTUS

The Seven Revelations of Loyalty

 

#1. Transparency!

Are The Leaders and The Organisation Transparent?

 

You will never become loyal until you are fully persuaded about your leader, friends or organisation.

This means transparency is vital!  An organisation or relationship that’s not open about their stuff, (vision, ethos, finances…,) especially during crises, this usually indicates, something is up.

Integrity never hides or goes silent during periods of doubt and uncertainty.

 

Loyalty Demands that You be Fully Persuaded.

 

 

 

#2. Predominant Loyalty!

Loyalty Must Always Be To The Higher Authority

 

The larger your organisation grows, the more ‘authority figures’ you need to submit to.

For instance, as CEO of our ministry, I have two executives (finance and operation) under me. They have 11 Heads of Department under them, who each have one team leader and a trainee or two under them. In total, we are about one hundred leaders.

Often leaders confuse and take what I call Predominant Loyalty and direct it towards the wrong person/s.  Unless there is a serious integrity issue that threatens the stability of the organisation and its future, your Predominant Loyalty does NOT belong to your team or team leader or his leader, but to the visionary – The most senior leader in your organisation.Brutus is engraved into the monument of history for diverting predominant loyalty.

Brutus the name is engraved on the monument of history for diverting predominant loyalty.

I have seen over the years, leaders who end up in resentment, bitterness or offence how they have crafted stories to destroy predominate Loyalty towards the visionary in their subordinates.

 

Loyal must always remain to the higher authority.

 

 

 

#3. Clarity!

Never Withhold or Distort Information

 

Remain transparent before your team and open to your seniors at all times. Withholding information regarding anything that can harm the vision or relationship is considered sabotage through dishonesty and betrayal.

Withholding information regarding anything that can harm the vision or relationship is considered sabotage through dishonesty and betrayal.

Grievances must be resolved in its infant stage. If not, it will erupt into something unpleasant and costly.
If you cannot effectively deal with a grievance and you know it could harm the organisation, NEVER neglect it. Escalate it to your direct report Timeously and CLEARLY then follow it up.

 

 

Read Related Article: INTEGRITY THE SYMBOL OF LEADERSHIP

Loyalty Demands Tranparancy

#4. Principles!

Loyalty is Based on Principle, Not Emotion

 

Decisions based on emotion and not principle are always bizarre and capricious!

Be weary of “tantrum throwers,” “attention seekers,” “drama queens and kings.” Such are spiritually and emotionally immature and threaten organisational stability and growth. Never neglect these ‘crying babies’, confront them and help them to heal or exit.

 

 

Loyalty is Based on Principle, Never Emotion.

 

 

 

#5. Sacrifice!

Loyalty Will Cost You Because Everything Has a Price

 

Everything has a price.

You’ll feel one of two things when people exist your life: pain or pleasure. When you love people and desire only what’s best for them, and they exit your life or organisation on the wrong terms, this experience can get you all torn apart.

On the other hand,  learning to accept a disloyal person’s exit is necessary for your protection and future success, and eventually acceptance solicitudes the pain.

 

 

#6. Comfort!

Loyalty will Cost You Physical Things

 

Have you ever wondered why a CEO would just “walk away from it all?” INTEGRITY!
The highest degree of loyalty is what I call “Self Loyalty.” If you can’t respect yourself, you will not respect others.   You can lie to everyone all the time, but you can’t lie to yourself at any time.

I’ve noticed over time as I studied the mannerisms of loyal people, who walked away from it all, compared to treacherous people who ‘resign with immediate effect.’

The difference is, disloyal people never leave silently, like Lucifer, who took one-third of the angels with them, their departure must cause some kind of damage, to satisfy their vindictive motives.    Even long after they’ve left, they continue to broadcast damaging information about the organisation and its leaders.

On the other hand, a loyal person who operates in integrity may walk away from an organisation, but the difference is, he would NEVER  slander it leadership (especially over social platforms,) even if they are in the wrong.

Think about it? Which ethical organisation would not want to hire and work with a leader like this?

 

Disloyalty is Professional Suicide

 

#7. Testing!

Until You Are Tested You Will Never Know

 

No person is found loyal until they have been sufficiently tested. The Character of a Leader is more superior than the talent of a leader, the knowledge of a leader, the experience of a leader,  the skill of a leader

It’s unwise to get carried away by a person’s gift, title or stature without TESTING their character first.

A mistake I’ve made that cost me and my teams tremendous pain and loss of organisational momentum.

Test every vessel before you use them.

 

Loyalty is tested through three ways: Time, Trials and Testing of Heart

 

 

 

Loyalty is a reciprocal success factor.  You must learn this life skill to protect the things that are dear to your heart.

 

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King David’s Four Leadership Principles

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What made king David a great man? He had God’s heart. What made him a great leader? His ability to build a great team of winners!

“These are the names of David’s mighty men…” (2 Sam 23:8)

 

David understood a principle all great leaders revere, “Those closest to me determined my potential.” No matter how talented you may be, no matter how smart you may be, on your own, your abilities are limited. You need a team of other talented people to help you maximise your potential and that of the organisation.

David was a man of many talents and accomplishments.  However, as you examine his life, you will realise his noteworthy accomplishments were made possible ONLY by a strong team of people around him. Good leaders lead, but effective leadership develops the talents around them. David was such a leader.
We can learn FOUR key things about David and how he related to his team.

King David’s Four Leadership Principles

 

1. David Stood for SOMETHING

David had a dream in his heart. He was a man of Vision. The vision drew the necessary resources into his life. Do you carry a vision that compels people to follow you?

“Chase the Vision, not the money. The money will end up following you.” – Tony Hsieh

 

Vision provides the foundation for any journey, the direction for people, the motivation to keep going and the focus that is needed to be effective.

2 David’s Men Came to HIM

They had fought together and learned first-hand from one another’s capabilities. They had covered one another’s backs on several occasions. They had to TRUST each other!

 

“The ability to establish, grow, extend and restore the confidence is the key professional and personal competency of our time.”
– STEPHEN M.R. COVEY

Trust is the Core of Leadership. The old leadership model of business implied scouring the organisation for “high-potential” producers; in the new business world, skill is the art and trust is the science of leadership.

 

3 David Modelled SERVANT LEADERSHIP

When three of his mighty men risked their lives to obtain drinking water for him during a battle, David refused to drink it, choosing instead to pour it out onto the ground. This no doubt made a big impression on his men and only drew greater devotion to him because of his own sacrifice.

“Ultimately, I knew that how you treat your people is how they’ll treat your customers.” – Howard Behar

 

Servant leadership is a philosophy that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organisations and ultimately creates a more just and caring environment.

 

4 David Commanded LOYALTY

His followers were incredibly loyal to him. When his son Absalom betrayed him, it looked as though David might be defeated; his closest men stayed with him. The people closest to him always seemed willing to put their lives on the line for him.

“When we are debating an issue, loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this state, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.”
— General Colin Powell

 

Loyalty cannot be produced on an assembly line or manufactured as a product.  Its origin is the epicentre of the human heart – the place of self-respect and dignity. It is necessary for organisational stability and growth, it is sensitive to betrayal.  David’s team are celebrated not only for what they did but for who they were!

When choosing your “inner circle,” test your teams hearts on the following four values: Vision, Trust, Servanthood and Loyalty.

 

If the leaders you depend possess these qualities, they are God’s gift to you and a great asset to your business.

 

As a Leadership Architect, Executive Coach Architect and trained in the John Maxwell Leadership Philosophy,  you can invite me to speak to your company or team on:

  • How to Foster Organisation Loyalty
  • How to Command Loyalty (Your Executive Presence)
  • The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork (John Maxwell)
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Integrity the Symbol Of Leadership

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The Spirit of a nation, a family or an organisation is created from the top. The Facile Princeps of leadership is the virtue of integrity. It is through integrity; that leadership is exercised.

The integrity of character sets the example, which is emulated by like-minded.

Integrity is not something one can fool another with. It is possible to hide behind reputation, but people whom you work or relate with will eventually know whether you are or not a person of integrity.

People may forgive you for; incompetence, ignorance, insecurity or bad manners. But they will not forgive or forget a lack of integrity.

This truth which ought to be cherished by all leaders, particularly those who sit at the top of organisations. For the spirit of an organisation is created from the top. If a nation, family or organisation is great, it is so because the top is great. If it, rots, it is because the top is rotten. As the proverb has it, “Trees, die from the top.” No one should ever be appointed any leadership position, at any level of an organisation unless their character serves a model of integrity.

Daily in the headlines, we read stories that raise our eyebrows, about the lack of leadership integrity, in particular on the political scene. We’ve been overly exposed to a perception of self-serving power and influence arising from deep-rooted friendships, not integrity or competence for that matter, together with ethnic allegiance as well as back-room political manipulations, used in an attempt to discard individuals who are perceived as honourable.

However, situations involving the loss of integrity are not only found in the political arena, but they also occur in our business world,  church environment, and more frequently than we would like to admit.

Corruption, in our country, has spread from parliament, down to clerk working in a mortuary. Corruption in leadership pervades at every level. In the words of Ray Davies, “money and corruption are ruining the land, crooked politicians betray the working man…” Unfortunately, our countries leadership are uninterested in dealing with this hindrance of development. Furthermore, the citizens blame the government, the government blame apartheid. Our nation seems to be revolving around “the blame game,” while corruption keeps thriving.

Corruption is everywhere. You may recall the famous collapse of U.S.-based Enron Corp., a leader in energy, natural gas, communications and pulp and paper with more than 20,000 employees, is not far from our memories. The leadership at Enron was found to have systematically engaged in accounting fraud and corruption, which was supported by the Arthur Anderson accounting and consulting firm. Both went bankrupt while key leaders headed to prison. Hurting thousands of people.

While the lack of integrity in leadership is shaking the foundation of nations, government, organisation, families and friendship. While most leaders don’t engage in the dishonest behaviour, I’ve encountered many more individuals who live by what I call the “neutral zone.”  Leadership and neutrality are diametrical.   In other words, while a person may not engage in anything illegal, immoral, or any unethical behaviour, but tolerating those who do, in my view, can be considered unethical. And it only takes one more step to cross the line.  Permissiveness creates a perception of unethical behaviour and also creates a sense of mistrust and a loss of integrity. People simply lose respect for this type of leader! Most leaders simply fail to understand the proximity of comprise.

Most leaders simply fail to understand the close proximity of comprise. Ex-General Colin Powel stated this immortal truth  for anyone leadership;

“Loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I’ll like it or not. Disagreement, at this state, stimulates me. But once a decision is made, the debate ends. From that point on, loyalty means executing the decision as if it were your own.”

If speaking against a project you’ve agreed with in the meeting, or making an agreement with one and speaking against it with another, makes you disloyal, what then is Integrity?

What Exactly is Integrity?

  • Integrity is defined as the consistency between what a leader says and what the leader does.
  • It’s an alignment between a person’s values, beliefs, words and actions, as well as the extent to which promises are kept.
  • Integrity is also perceived to be closely related to honesty, trustworthiness and fairness and is frequently thought to be a measure of good moral character.
  • Integrity is judged by how closely the leader’s behaviour and actions are consistent with the moral frameworks of a community or an organisation.
  • Integrity is doing what’s right even if it will cost you.

 

You May Wonder Why it is Important for Leader to Demonstrate Integrity?

People want a leader who ‘preaches, what he practices.’ Who can follow through on promises and who “walks the talk.” Therefore, since people judge integrity by the consistency, credibility, competency and reliability of a leader’s behaviour, how do we know it when we see it?

When integrity is destroyed, confidence goes by the wayside and may never return.

 

The Following 9 Descriptors will Assist You to Confirm Your Perceptions of Integrity.

  1. Continuous personal growth: 

  • Leaders with high levels of integrity are in constant learning mode.
  • They are ruthlessly honest with themselves, seek guidance to discover and work around their leadership blind spots and are always learning and growing as leaders.

  1. A promise is a promise: 

  • High-integrity leaders keep their promises, and if they can’t meet the agreed-upon timeline, they will stay in communication with you until the promise has been kept.

  1. Reliability:

  • Just as we purchase proven brands, leaders who are shown to be reliable and can be counted on will attract more followers.
  • Reliable leaders stick with problems and issues until they are resolved from a win/win point of view and a strong consideration for all stakeholders involved.
  • In other words they don’t quit and walk away when times are, though.

  1. Accountability:

  • High-integrity leaders don’t just blame others or take the blame themselves, they own the situation and all of its outcomes.
  • These leaders quickly intervene in an issue, evaluate unintended impact, take steps to rectify the situation and stay in close communication with stakeholders until the job is done.

  1. Responsiveness:

  • There is nothing more frustrating than waiting for a leader to respond to your query.
  • High-integrity leaders are good time managers and will either respond immediately or will inform you when they can get back to your issue.
  • If the situation is a crisis, they will be there for you.

  1. Doing the right thing:

  • High-integrity leaders have strong moral principles.
  • You can count on them do the right thing, at the right time and for all the right reasons.
  • These leaders have high personal standards and hold their team members and their organisation to the same high standards.
  • They then assess each decision and action against their organisational standards.

  1. Respectfulness:

  • Respect is earned and is done so by showing respect and an acceptance toward others.
  • Respecting others means understanding different values and beliefs, recognising, accepting and developing the skills of others and including all employees as part of the team.
  • Respect also means communicating and interacting with individuals by putting them on the same playing field.

  1. Accessibility:

  • High-integrity leaders are physically present and make themselves available and accessible to their staff.
  • They interact with and invite employees to share their issues; they are always available to stop and listen.

  1. Transparency:

  • High-integrity leaders ensure their actions are “seen” as trustworthy and create a sense of certainty rather than uncertainty.
  • They exhibit openness with respect to information, finances and various operational transactions and business dealings.
  • When examined by others, their actions lead to trusting relationships.

 

Non-integrity leadership behaviour not only has the power to ruin a career, but it has the power to utterly destroy an organisation.

When integrity is destroyed, confidence goes by the wayside and believe me it may never return.

Integrity is the Bottomline!  

 

*– Source: Why does Leader Integrity Matter to Followers? An Uncertainty Management Explanation, Robert H. Moorman, Creighton University, (US) and Steven Grover, University of Otago, New Zealand, International Journal of Leadership Studies, vol. 5 Issue 2, 2009.

 

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The Face Of Insecurity

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Being a leader is no walk in the park and the reality is, every person leads at some level. However, if you want to lead effectively for the long-haul, you must be a secure leader. Over the years I have seen how insecure leaders create drama, devastation and pain in the lives of those they lead or follow.

I’ve always wondered when (organisational or personal) pressure sprung up, why do certain individuals REACT like bully juveniles at the playground? Until it struck me, the root issue why many leaders who lose their cool and react like babies throwing tantrums under pressure is because of ––insecurity!

As I developed over time my understanding of this leadership disability, I’ve come to understand my own omens of insecurities that needed confronting and an exorcism thereof, if I was going to take my teams and organisation to the next level.

 

Insecurity always shows up in every leader’s life. It can be disguised, but it can’t be hidden.

 

People who aren’t secure in who they are display some common characteristics. Insecurity is a normal emotion when we are exposed to change or deviation, but as we mature in leadership – we should be aware and guard against the extremely debilitating impact of insecurity.

As you read the typical characteristics of and insecure leader, ask yourself if the following are true for you?

 

The 10 Faces Of Insecurity

 

1. Insecure Leaders Are Controlling

 

They love to recruit or hire people in their teams they can control.

This is a gross injustice to the organisation because insecure leaders don’t recruit or attract people who are better than they are or most suited for a job. They attract people who are not as good as they are…people with less experience or who are younger, who can be controlled mentally or emotionally.

This is a gross injustice to the organisation because insecure leaders don’t recruit or attract people who are better than they are or most suited for a job. They attract people who are not as good as they are…people with less experience or who are younger, who can be controlled mentally or emotionally.

 

 

2. Insecure Leaders Are Never Wrong

 

Have you ever worked with Mr or Mrs Perfect?

They are never wrong! Mistakes happen to everybody else, except their clan. They will misconstrue other people’s motives to fit their stories. It’s easier to ask the devil to repent than to get them to admit they’re wrong.

Insecure leaders have to be right. It is too a high price to pay to be otherwise. So they misinterpret what people do and why they do it, to make themselves emerge as the hero.

When secure leaders stand up to insecure people, they are written off and labelled as arrogant, jealous and controlling. Motives get misrepresented so they can be right each time. When you have a leader who can admit their mistakes without having to do a mental autopsy of the situation, you have gold!

 

3. Insecure Leaders Are Slave Masters

 

Insecure leaders are not collaborators or team players.

The only time they will run with your idea is when they have an ulterior motive. Insecure leaders don’t look for the best ideas because they are interested only in what they want! Being a slave master is the only approach to achieve this.

They known to abandon integrous relationships.  They are bum lickers to all who are disloyal followers.

Rather than honest, loyal friends and teammates.

 

4. Insecure Leaders Are Defensive

 

Insecure leaders flare their insecurity when ideas or decisions they make are challenged or not accepted.

They are protective of their titles and performance. They paranoidly look over their shoulder, continually expecting someone to question them or their authority.

5. Insecure Leaders Interpret Disagreement as Disloyalty

 

Insecure people don’t see people as people; they see them only as either on ‘my side’ or ‘against me’. They think the sun and the universe rotates around them.

They think the universe rotate around them.

 

5. Insecure Leaders Misemploy Conflict

 

Insecure leaders either avoid conflict through passivity or aggressivity.

They look at every situation as a potential conflict. They are either too soft or uncaring.

Secure leaders handle conflict with truth and grace working together because relationships matter more than being right.

 

6. Insecure Leaders Are Controlling

 

Insecure leaders use information to keep the spotlight on them.

They assume all key assignments which would give attention to them. They unashamedly employ the words like ‘I’ and ‘My’ more than ‘We’ or ‘Our’.

 

7. Insecure leaders Never Invest In Others

 

Insecure leaders limit opportunities for others to advance.

They keep people under their control; to protect their position. They are cautious of stronger leaders. They have ‘yes-man’ around them and guard against anyone who displays leadership potential. They hand out titles only to those they believe will never question their intention.

 

8. Insecure leaders Refuse to Handle Difficult Situations

 

Insecure leaders love the political card.

They fear not being liked, so they often ignore the most awkward situations. They talk behind people’s backs rather than to them. They are likely to say one thing to one person and something else to another – depending on what is popular, easy and non-confronting at the time.

 

9. Insecure leaders Are Jokers

 

Insecure leaders often use jokes as a coping mechanism to divert attention from the issues they don’t want to face.

Again, they don’t want to handle the hard stuff – and want to be liked – so when they make people laugh; it gives a false sense of security.

 

10. Insecure leaders Love Mirrors

 

Insecure leaders always carry mirrors, mirrors on them, mirrors near them.

They are overly concerned about personal appearance. While this is not always the case, but it is most of the time true. They are too conscious of their clothing, hair and appearance. They are afraid of not being in style, wanting to be accepted. They are constantly looking for the latest fashion or gadgets. (The opposite could also be true. The insecure leader is careful not to stand out, so they appear to have no concern for personal appearance at all.)

 

Question: Which of these points are true concerning you? How will you change any of these insecure traits to become a more stable leader? 

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