Over the years I have learned so much about how vital loyalty is in our relationships. Whether it’s a relationship in business, a relationship with a family member, a relationship with a friend, a relationship with a spouse, a relationship with a parent or child, or in pipe band – there must be loyalty for a relationship to be sincere and lasting because without loyalty, there is no trust…and without trust there is no meaningful relationship.
I think we’ve all experienced things that have shown us the importance of loyalty. We’ve all had a person we thought we could trust only to find out we couldn’t…we’ve all been through the fair-weathered friend who appeared to be a friend to our face only to discover that behind our backs they weren’t really a friend at all…we’ve all been through being lied to and cheated by someone we believed in…and we’ve all felt how deeply a lack of loyalty hurts. But how often do we stop and assess the level of loyalty we are giving to the people in our own lives – and have we reminded ourselves all that loyalty is?
Loyalty is standing firm in your friendship and support for someone.
Loyalty is being completely honest with someone, even when it may be difficult or hurtful to do so.
Loyalty is never talking bad about someone behind their back.
Loyalty is emphasizing someone’s strengths publicly and keeping thoughts on their weaknesses for the private moments when you can share them one on one.
Loyalty is being willing to immediately jump in and stick up for someone when you hear someone else talking negatively about them behind their back.
Loyalty is keeping your commitments and following through on your promises.
Loyalty is always having someone’s back publicly, even in those times you may disagree with them privately.
Loyalty is allowing for someone’s imperfections while doing all you can do to help them improve.
Loyalty is being respectful of your knowledge of someone’s weaknesses and never using those as an excuse to neither privately nor publicly shame them.
Loyalty is showing up for someone in both the good times and the bad.
Loyalty is genuinely desiring the other person’s success.
Appreciate and treasure those who are loyal to you by making sure you’re returning that loyalty to them. If you don’t, you will lose them, only to someday realize those were the only relationships you had worth keeping.
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