Loyalty or "Coming Down from the Mile High High"

Since watching the devastation of the Denver Broncos at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks during this year's Super Bowl, I've been thinking about of the concept of loyalty.  There were many disappointed Peyton Manning fans as well as  Denver Broncos fans who felt let down.  I'm sure some of them will be fans no longer.  The humiliation of the slaughter was just too great for them to allow themselves to fall victim to the charm of Manning's arm or the high of Mile High Stadium ever again.  But my guess is that Bronco turncoats are few, and that the vast majority of Peyton and Denver fans will remain steadfast and true.  That is, they remain loyal to their team and its leader.

Loyalty is one of the more interesting traits of the human psyche.  Most consider loyalty a virtue, but a virtue with moral limits.  I look back to those to whom I have given my loyalty:  my God, my family, my country, my church, my friends, my leaders, my school, my teams.  Curiously, my loyalty is most often extended to those who are aligned with my belief set or my experiences. As such, my loyalty is very personal in nature.  For instance, I am loyal to the God referred to in the Bible as Yahweh, not Baal;  my family, maybe not yours;  the United States, not Iraq; the friends I know, and not necessarily your friends, etc.

Most leaders desire the loyalty of their followers and with good cause.  It can be argued that the more loyal your people, the greater the mark of your leadership, and also, the more they are willing to give for you and for your cause.  For that reason, loyalty might be considered a leadership Super Bowl Championship Ring.  Here are some things I've learned about leadership and loyalty:

• Loyalty cannot be mandated.
• Loyalty cannot be purchased.
• Loyalty is best earned steadily and gradually over time.
• Loyalty is not easily transferred. 
• Loyalty is decreased at a faster rate than it is increased.
• The existence of loyalty cannot be proven or measured unless it is tested by adversity. 
• Your loyalty is a personal gift that can only be given by you.
• When people support you or your organization out of their loyalty alone, their loyalty at that time is diminishing.

I would suggest that loyalty of people is one of the greatest assets a leader or an organization can possess, a precious resource that must be stewarded with the greatest care. To witness the loyalty of others can in full display can not only be rewarding but also intoxicating.  Because of this, summoning the loyalty of others has the potential for abuse.  Leaders and their organizations sometime forget that loyalty is a by-product of great leadership, not the goal of great leadership.