“The man who does not do his own thinking is a slave, and is a traitor to himself and his fellow man.” – Robert G. Ingersoll

 There seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding about what real loyalty is.  Some believe that loyalty is given totally to anyone who is your leader; this can be an employer, pastor, team leader, friend or family member.  They think loyalty should be without question and never challenged.  This is not loyalty, this is a dictatorship.  Many times, you will find that a leader who demands this type of blind loyalty does not have the character to earn it otherwise.

Real loyalty will not compromise what a person knows to be true and right.  Success-Minded People do not question those they are loyal to just to question them.  Before a Success-Minded Person will give their loyalty to someone, they will know the character of the person and understand what they believe and expect.  Success-Minded People agree with the words of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan who said “Trust, but verify.”

Loyalty is also build on trust.  When you trust someone, it is easy to be loyal to him or her.  Trust tells us that we may not fully understand a decision or request, but we know the leader has our best interests at heart so we obey because we trust them.  Saint Ignatius said, “It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey.”  This is why devotion is so closely tied to loyalty.  When we believe in the person, business or cause we are loyal to it and it is easy to do what is asked of us.

              It is a big mistake to think that loyalty is ever just expected from others.  Success-Minded People who are leaders in any area of life know that they must be worthy of loyalty before they will see it.  They also know that when others know they can trust you, that you are a person of good character and integrity, they you care more for them than you care for yourself, people will follow you anywhere.  This is the principle behind soldiers who follow a leader into battle or those who will lay down their lives for a cause or person they believe in.  It is not some kind of blind loyalty that only does what it is told but comes from a deep faith in who and what they are serving.  D. Elton Trueblood said, “Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.”

                To have someone loyal to you is a great honor but even more a great responsibility.  You must never take it lightly or without thought.  Loyalty is not free but has a very high price tag.  It comes to the one who understands the cost, treats it with respect, and returns loyalty.  People are loyal for a reason and those in leadership set the example of one worthy of loyalty.  Remember the words of Albert Schweitzer: “Example is not the main thing in influencing others.  It is the only thing.”

 © 2012 John Patrick Hickey