As leaders, we want to earn and inspire loyalty from those we serve–employees, customers, clients, community and other stakeholders. If we are leading others well, we are building the trust needed to do just that.
Being loyal to a leader who has your best interest (and that of others) at heart is a good thing – you are supporting that leader in the work they do, because you believe in their vision and trust them to lead you. But what is true loyalty, really?
Harold Laski said, “A healthy loyalty is not passive and complacent, but active and critical.” True loyalty is trusting and supporting a leader, but also being willing to give that leader the hard truth if needed. A “high road leader” appreciates this healthy, true loyalty. They have created a safe environment that values honesty as crucial to success, and will listen to feedback, making adjustments if needed.
Blind loyalty, on the other hand, is a dangerous thing. Loyalty without questioning not only puts an individual in a bad position, often at odds with his or her own values and ideas, but it also threatens an entire organization. It’s like allowing the captain of a ship to continue taking a ship toward an iceberg that you and others see, but you don’t take action to either convince them to change course, or band together and grab the wheel.
How does loyalty become blind? It can develop from different sources, such as a shared identity, a bond from a shared experience, or a fear of exclusion or expulsion. But know this: anyone to whom you feel you must be loyal, but have no ability to question, does NOT have your best interest at heart…it likely does not even cross their mind.
A leader who refuses to be questioned is one who refuses to be accountable or admit mistakes, even if that means driving the whole ship straight into that iceberg.
If you reflect on your relationships with leaders or others in your life and suspect you may have some blind spots, congratulations! You’ve taken the first step toward approaching them in a new way, with eyes wide open. If you’re a leader, build the trust and make sure those around you can call out the icebergs, knowing you’ll respond and change course.