“Good” versus “Bad” Loyalty

Everyone who works above, below, or among coworkers in an office lives in a constellation of complex relationships that can breed loyalty dilemmas. So how do we discern the “good” loyalty from its evil twin? How can we tell if our company is trumpeting loyalty in an attempt to build camaraderie or to shellac over wrongdoings and discourage dissent? What are the characteristics of loyalty when it’s done correctly, as well as when it’s gone terribly wrong?

Dictionary.com states the definition of loyalty as:

The state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations.

An office cannot function without a certain level of loyalty. Employees are not a bunch of mercenaries sharing a vending machine and printer toner. Our commitments, obligations, and relationships deserve our steadfastness and our loyalty.

A glaring example of loyalty done right versus loyalty done wrong was management’s handling of the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attack. Sue Shellenbarger of the Wall Street Journal explained this in the following way:

Handling the aftermath of the terrorist attacks posed an acid test for employers that often fundamentally changed the employer-employee relationship. The mass emotions aroused by the tragedy were so primal—fear, grief, anger and the drive to protect loved ones—that any managerial missteps took on larger-than-life importance.

The employers who rose to the occasion with understanding, empathy, and concern for their employees’ ...

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