Management
Foster Intense Loyalty in Your Organization, but Don't Lose Sight of Performance
Building a fortress may not always be best for the business
Have you surrounded yourself by loyal followers who would walk through walls for you? Well, you're not alone. Executives often take comfort in the fact that their inner circle will support their ideas and protect them against any dissent by others in the company -- not that there is anything wrong with that. However, you want to make sure that your wing men (and women) are also there because they are the best people you can find.
Does your team want to perform the jobs they hold or just hold the jobs they perform?
Loyalty cuts both ways. You can get into trouble when loyalty becomes a dominant force in your company. Make sure that loyalty is not driven by job security in either direction. Once you start clinging to people because they are loyal to you, you may risk alienating other members of your staff who are star performers. Likewise, you may find that loyalty to you is driven by your team's desire for job security or personal gain rather than growth of your company.
Remember the story about the emperor's new clothes
It's easier to listen to people who agree with you. Unfortunately, some executives mistake compliance for loyalty and take disagreement as a sign of disloyalty. If you encourage blind loyalty, you may end up not seeing things clearly yourself. You might even find yourself in the same position that the proverbial emperor found himself when he solicited opinions about his new "clothes." You don't want to find out too late that you missed some critical feedback about your business strategy.
Let people outside your inner circle have the same opportunities to demonstrate loyalty
Loyalty is important. And most people who are dedicated to the mission of the company are also loyal to its leaders. So don't mistake dissent for lack of loyalty. Some of your most valuable people will disagree with you from time to time, and they may be right. Listen to them. Respect for people's opinions has a way of fostering honesty and openness within an organization. The more you encourage constructive discussion about issues, the more you will encourage the loyalty of your entire team.
Use metrics to promote the right kind of loyalty
You can use quantitative metrics to measure performance and build loyalty throughout the company. People are apt to be more loyal to you when they are treated fairly relative to others. Metrics provide a very visible way to ensure that performance and loyalty go hand in hand.
Have you surrounded yourself by loyal followers who would walk through walls for you? Well, you're not alone. Executives often take comfort in the fact that their inner circle will support their ideas and protect them against any dissent by others in the company -- not that there is anything wrong with that. However, you want to make sure that your wing men (and women) are also there because they are the best people you can find.
Does your team want to perform the jobs they hold or just hold the jobs they perform?
Loyalty cuts both ways. You can get into trouble when loyalty becomes a dominant force in your company. Make sure that loyalty is not driven by job security in either direction. Once you start clinging to people because they are loyal to you, you may risk alienating other members of your staff who are star performers. Likewise, you may find that loyalty to you is driven by your team's desire for job security or personal gain rather than growth of your company.
Remember the story about the emperor's new clothes
It's easier to listen to people who agree with you. Unfortunately, some executives mistake compliance for loyalty and take disagreement as a sign of disloyalty. If you encourage blind loyalty, you may end up not seeing things clearly yourself. You might even find yourself in the same position that the proverbial emperor found himself when he solicited opinions about his new "clothes." You don't want to find out too late that you missed some critical feedback about your business strategy.
Let people outside your inner circle have the same opportunities to demonstrate loyalty
Loyalty is important. And most people who are dedicated to the mission of the company are also loyal to its leaders. So don't mistake dissent for lack of loyalty. Some of your most valuable people will disagree with you from time to time, and they may be right. Listen to them. Respect for people's opinions has a way of fostering honesty and openness within an organization. The more you encourage constructive discussion about issues, the more you will encourage the loyalty of your entire team.
Use metrics to promote the right kind of loyalty
You can use quantitative metrics to measure performance and build loyalty throughout the company. People are apt to be more loyal to you when they are treated fairly relative to others. Metrics provide a very visible way to ensure that performance and loyalty go hand in hand.