Something has shaken the world of business in the past 12 months. Known as the Great Resignation, millions of US workers have decided to quit their jobs. As a result, many organizations are unable to do business. Leaders are worried. Have the pandemic and digitalization made workers prefer freelance, remote and temporary work? Is loyalty no longer important?
These are troubling questions during a very challenging time. Loyalty is necessary for a post-pandemic recovery. In this article, we look at how leaders can recover and reinvent loyalty, which is a significant driver of success.
Understanding loyalty
Loyalty is a familiar but challenging concept. It’s intangible and demonstrated only indirectly through behaviour. Loyalty needs a crisis to really prove itself. You only know loyalty is really there when you most need it, which means it’s risky to rely on it. In the end, loyalty (like trust) is an investment. It means investing time to save time, something too few leaders do under the pressure of daily work.
Here are five different ways to cultivate loyalty as a leader.
1. Stand for something
One of the important insights gained from the pandemic is the value of having a common purpose. The presence of a life-threatening virus has revolutionized working life. To inspire similar levels of commitment, leaders must express a powerful why — something beyond profit, which connects itself to ethics, to our responsibility to have a sustainable relationship with the natural world. The meaning of “good business” will change from profit to doing good things. The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals will be the basis of this new purpose, where loyalty to individual leaders gives way to loyalty to a set of values shared by all.
Questions to think about:
- What is my leadership why?
- Which of the UN’s goals do I stand behind?
- How can I express my leadership vision truthfully in 60 seconds?
2. Serve and protect
Commitment to others is important. Anyone clearly serving their own interests will not be very inspiring. A form of leading that focuses on listening, understanding others’ needs, supporting, rewarding performance and investing in personal development is needed so that individuals see their medium-term future assured. These behaviours must accompany a leader’s words. After all, actions always speak louder than words.
Questions to think about:
- How can I become an excellent listener?
- How can I give others responsibilities that motivate them?
- What can I do to better support those who work for me?
3. Connect at a human level
Loyalty is emotional, and leaders who want loyalty must cultivate caring relationships. This needs to be sincere, not a technique. Loyalty will be inspired only by a real interest in others – when you remember the answers to the questions you asked, when you act on information you hear, and spend time listening, laughing and sympathizing. Leaders who are too centred on their own concerns may get some professional loyalty but never deep, personal loyalty.
Questions to think about:
- How interested am I in the lives of my colleagues?
- How can I more effectively connect to those around me at work?
- What’s the best way to show I care about others in a professional context?
4. Demonstrate loyalty
Leaders who want loyalty from others must first demonstrate it themselves. Look for opportunities to do that: when someone makes a mistake, forgive rather than blame. If someone is criticized, defend their reputation and character. Rather than delegating, leaders should sometimes join in to get the job done, especially in times of need. Generosity, recognizing commitment or even a simple thank you can make it clear you have others’ interests at heart. You get what you give in life — loyalty is no different.
Questions to think about:
- How (often) do I demonstrate loyalty to others?
- What more could I do to show that I stand behind my team?
- What should I stop doing because it might send the wrong signals?
5. Never demand loyalty
Leaders often make the mistake of demanding positive qualities – openness, courage, etc. But such demands are based on assumptions that people aren’t open or bold enough. This is not a good basis for loyal relationships. Leaders sometimes mistake being challenged for disloyalty. Blind loyalty should never be an objective. Loyalty with integrity means others can disagree. Leaders should never believe they’re always right — they should keep critical thinking alive in their teams. This drives innovation and promotes respect for diversity and inclusion. And it cements loyalty.
Questions to think about:
- What demands should I stop making of my team?
- How can I show that disagreement with me is possible?
- What risks does loyalty present to me and my team?