The Gift of Loyalty
Hello everyone, I am sorry I haven't been able to get here sooner, I had a small accident at work which caused a few issues which kept me away from doing a lot of things which I consider essential - one of these, being here. Anyway, thankfully, the worst has passed and so I can sit down and write to you. I am not entirely sure this post is necessarily going to make a whole heap of sense, but I'm going to write it anyway, and hope you see what I'm trying to say. As the title suggests, its about loyalty because, over the years, I have been faced with incidents which have made me think about its importance and in light of current times, a true understanding of the concept seems even more essential So without further delay, let me explain...
As I'm sure many of you know, there are times when we are faced with a choice to do either the right thing or the easiest - in my experience, there two aren't always the same thing. Some time ago, I was put in such a position and this triggered my thoughts about the whole subject of loyalty. Someone in a relatively senior position at their workplace was accused of bullying, it was alleged they were abrasive, unhelpful, in fact, the word 'intimidating' was used. The person who made this complaint, had previously made a number of errors within the department and had, in some ways, not been overly keen to accept the responsibility for their mistakes. I was approached by both people involved which, as you can imagine, was not the ideal place to be, but I quickly realised the only way for me to consider the situation was to look dispassionately at the whole picture rather than just one side of the story. Now, although it was true, the senior person could be a little sharp on occasion, I had never witnessed any behaviour which could be described as bullying. In fact, I had been helped by them on many occasions, they had taken time to explain things which had been problematic and shown me correct procedures without ever watching the clock or making me feel stupid. As for the person with the issues ? Well, although I did like them on a personal level, it did seem wrong not to have at least tried to discuss the problem before racing off to register a formal complaint. But obviously, I did sympathise with the fact they were clearly feeling they had not been treated fairly. So, as you can imagine, it was difficult to really see any one side more favourably than the other - until I took out the personalities of those involved. Suddenly, I could see, my loyalty should be to the truth - untouched by any personal feelings I might have for either of the parties involved. When I realised this was the way ahead, I supported the senior person - I had never witnessed bullying, never felt intimidated and so, the choice was ultimately a simple one.
In the second instance, again, some years ago, I was a part of a team who were showcasing a whole new development. An expensive makeover had taken place and now, it was down to the team, to show the money had been well spent. As you can imagine, senior staff visited in a constant stream which put considerable stress on us all but none more so, than our supervisor. This person worked ridiculously long hours, engaged us all in training and, to even the most casual observer, appeared to be everywhere, all the time. They were 100% committed to the success of the project and clearly believed, we would all understand the importance of showing only the best. On one particular day, the supervisor was away and we were left to run the project alone. During the afternoon, we were told yet more senior staff were arriving any moment, as you can imagine, this news created a degree of tension - but surprisingly, (at least to me), that feeling did not last long. When the senior staff appeared, almost immediately, some of our team seemed to see this as an opportunity to air certain grievances which were entirely trivial. As I and a few others looked on, in horror, we watched them complain and, in one case,give the impression they were overqualified to even be in the project at all! When we all asked about why we felt the project was going so well, I spoke and mentioned the drive and ambition of our supervisor. I added I felt without her, things would not have reached the level they had achieved. As I spoke, I could feel other members of the team watching me, some were nodding in agreement while others shook their heads in disbelief. After the senior staff left, I was asked why I had been such a 'suck up' to our absent supervisor, after all, they hadn't even been there to hear what I'd said. Now, I should say, the supervisor could be frustrating to work with, especially when they made it clear, they believed they were the only person who could do any part of the job properly. But, to me, those issues could be handled within the group, not to be shared with senior staff, our role should be to present the best possible front - not talk behind someone's back.
Again, as I walked home, I thought about the day, had I been nothing more than a 'suck up'? Had I spoken up to make myself look good in some way? But then, and still to this day so many years later, I do not believe either of those was my motivation. I had just spoken the truth, the single-mindedness of our supervisor had been the driving force towards success, there could be no argument to dispute that plain fact. So this was another occasion, where my loyalty was not for a person but for the truth. I honestly believe, despite my countless other flaws and failings, the way I approach loyalty is one of my few attributes. I have seen people casually sidestep facts to support a friend - even when they know the friend is wrong, even when they cannot possibly ignore the detrimental consequences their complicity could have for an innocent person - that, to me, is not real loyalty.
In these times, especially in the political arena, the truth seems to be something which is a choice for some in positions of power. Even though they were originally elected by the mass population, their loyalty to those people quickly fades to be replaced by their own greed for yet more power coupled with financial gains. Sadly, it does appear, some politicians have more loyalty to their own political ambitions than to actually serve the people they're supposed to represent. It may be naïve, but I feel our world would be in a far better state, if there was more emphasis placed on the truth and less on how much money and privilege can be scammed by a few powerful people.
Like many words, 'loyalty' is one which is overused, particularly by those powerful people who have none for anyone else other than themselves. But in the general population, the story is a different one - people do stand up for each other even when faced with difficult times. They will fight for those who are vulnerable, they will take action when they see injustice - in fact, they show their loyalty to what's right and what's true on a daily basis. This is why, despite everything, there is hope for this world we share, simply because most of us try to do the right thing....on that positive note, I shall let you get on with your day...until the next time...
Take care out there xx
As I'm sure many of you know, there are times when we are faced with a choice to do either the right thing or the easiest - in my experience, there two aren't always the same thing. Some time ago, I was put in such a position and this triggered my thoughts about the whole subject of loyalty. Someone in a relatively senior position at their workplace was accused of bullying, it was alleged they were abrasive, unhelpful, in fact, the word 'intimidating' was used. The person who made this complaint, had previously made a number of errors within the department and had, in some ways, not been overly keen to accept the responsibility for their mistakes. I was approached by both people involved which, as you can imagine, was not the ideal place to be, but I quickly realised the only way for me to consider the situation was to look dispassionately at the whole picture rather than just one side of the story. Now, although it was true, the senior person could be a little sharp on occasion, I had never witnessed any behaviour which could be described as bullying. In fact, I had been helped by them on many occasions, they had taken time to explain things which had been problematic and shown me correct procedures without ever watching the clock or making me feel stupid. As for the person with the issues ? Well, although I did like them on a personal level, it did seem wrong not to have at least tried to discuss the problem before racing off to register a formal complaint. But obviously, I did sympathise with the fact they were clearly feeling they had not been treated fairly. So, as you can imagine, it was difficult to really see any one side more favourably than the other - until I took out the personalities of those involved. Suddenly, I could see, my loyalty should be to the truth - untouched by any personal feelings I might have for either of the parties involved. When I realised this was the way ahead, I supported the senior person - I had never witnessed bullying, never felt intimidated and so, the choice was ultimately a simple one.
In the second instance, again, some years ago, I was a part of a team who were showcasing a whole new development. An expensive makeover had taken place and now, it was down to the team, to show the money had been well spent. As you can imagine, senior staff visited in a constant stream which put considerable stress on us all but none more so, than our supervisor. This person worked ridiculously long hours, engaged us all in training and, to even the most casual observer, appeared to be everywhere, all the time. They were 100% committed to the success of the project and clearly believed, we would all understand the importance of showing only the best. On one particular day, the supervisor was away and we were left to run the project alone. During the afternoon, we were told yet more senior staff were arriving any moment, as you can imagine, this news created a degree of tension - but surprisingly, (at least to me), that feeling did not last long. When the senior staff appeared, almost immediately, some of our team seemed to see this as an opportunity to air certain grievances which were entirely trivial. As I and a few others looked on, in horror, we watched them complain and, in one case,give the impression they were overqualified to even be in the project at all! When we all asked about why we felt the project was going so well, I spoke and mentioned the drive and ambition of our supervisor. I added I felt without her, things would not have reached the level they had achieved. As I spoke, I could feel other members of the team watching me, some were nodding in agreement while others shook their heads in disbelief. After the senior staff left, I was asked why I had been such a 'suck up' to our absent supervisor, after all, they hadn't even been there to hear what I'd said. Now, I should say, the supervisor could be frustrating to work with, especially when they made it clear, they believed they were the only person who could do any part of the job properly. But, to me, those issues could be handled within the group, not to be shared with senior staff, our role should be to present the best possible front - not talk behind someone's back.
Again, as I walked home, I thought about the day, had I been nothing more than a 'suck up'? Had I spoken up to make myself look good in some way? But then, and still to this day so many years later, I do not believe either of those was my motivation. I had just spoken the truth, the single-mindedness of our supervisor had been the driving force towards success, there could be no argument to dispute that plain fact. So this was another occasion, where my loyalty was not for a person but for the truth. I honestly believe, despite my countless other flaws and failings, the way I approach loyalty is one of my few attributes. I have seen people casually sidestep facts to support a friend - even when they know the friend is wrong, even when they cannot possibly ignore the detrimental consequences their complicity could have for an innocent person - that, to me, is not real loyalty.
In these times, especially in the political arena, the truth seems to be something which is a choice for some in positions of power. Even though they were originally elected by the mass population, their loyalty to those people quickly fades to be replaced by their own greed for yet more power coupled with financial gains. Sadly, it does appear, some politicians have more loyalty to their own political ambitions than to actually serve the people they're supposed to represent. It may be naïve, but I feel our world would be in a far better state, if there was more emphasis placed on the truth and less on how much money and privilege can be scammed by a few powerful people.
Take care out there xx
