Joe Altieri is the CIO at RiteScreen and the Inventor of FlexScreen, the cutting-edge innovation revolutionizing the window industry.
During my many years as a business owner, entrepreneur and team leader, I learned some hard truths about leadership—lessons that challenged traditional wisdom and forced me to rethink. One of the most powerful lessons? Lockstep loyalty to the boss is overrated.
You may have past or present experience with a boss or leader who has made themselves the center of the business universe, demanding unwavering loyalty. If so, it probably didn’t take long to realize that this method of maintaining control did not serve to motivate you or your coworkers but, instead, created fear-based competition in the name of self-preservation.
I learned that successful organizations aren’t all about the boss—they are all about the employees. The emphasis is on team loyalty. I believe secure leaders who are willing to step back and empower their teams will see incredible benefits for the business and the individuals who make it all happen day-to-day. In my experience, loyal team members who have one another’s backs are far more likely to overperform, collaborate, innovate and have more job satisfaction than those who languish under the thumb of authoritarianism.
On the flip side, when loyalty to the boss is priority No. 1, you can expect a toxic work environment. Employees will be far more focused on pleasing the boss and protecting their own self-interests and status within the organization. What’s best for the big picture is rarely top of mind. This doesn’t just hurt team dynamics and sideline individual potential; it can (and most likely will) destroy organizational progress.
As a leader, I worked hard to create a culture where team loyalty came first. Don’t get me wrong—I appreciated my team’s support and respect for me as their leader, but I cared far more about how they supported and respected one another. I wanted our people to feel like they were part of a family, not just employees clocking in and out.
So, how can leaders foster this kind of loyalty? Here are a few things that worked well for me throughout my leadership experience:
Embrace conflict.
Don’t ignore the hard stuff. Your employees need to feel free to express concerns and air grievances. If you want public loyalty, you must be willing to accept private feedback and constructive criticism. Being heard is being valued. Don’t shut down the problematic conversations. There is most likely a nugget of truth in every complaint, and there is always something to learn.
Be transparent (which requires vulnerability).
Share your vision, challenges and decisions openly. If you can’t be authentic with people, they won’t trust you, and trust is the foundation of loyalty. Vulnerability is absolutely essential to healthy working relationships. I can’t count the number of times I told someone, “I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out.” No leader knows it all, and your employees already know that. It’s counterproductive to try and appear as though you have all the answers or that you have no insecurities or weaknesses. Be real. Be open. Be honest. Model this behavior from the top, and it will permeate throughout the ranks.
Remember that culture is key.
It is far more critical that employees (and new hires) align with your company values than possess the perfect skill set. We all know that skills can be taught, honed and perfected, but character cannot. Be overly intentional and mindful about who you bring into the fold. As I’ve heard it said many times before in the business world, “hire slow and fire fast.” Protect your culture.
Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about building a strong foundation of empowered individuals. When that foundation consists of teams who are deeply loyal to one another, you won’t need to “demand” loyalty for yourself. The respect, trust and commitment that drives success will naturally flow in all directions.
If we commit as leaders to shifting our focus and valuing people over position, love over loyalty and respect over reputation, then I believe we will have a positive impact and a legacy that lives on far beyond our businesses.
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