How do you know that the leader is genuinely a great leader? At the top of the mind qualities like honesty, integrity, execution excellence, excellent communication skills, etc. usually, a leader should exhibit. However, one thing that is overlooked quite a bit is the loyalty of the employees towards their leader. An employees’ loyalty is a consequence of the leadership, and great leadership is a touchstone of the competence the person possesses. It requires a lot of patience and perseverance on the part of the leader to gain loyalty from the people, but once the leader has their employees’ loyalty, then there is no looking back.
Loyalty is a two-way street to get people loyal towards you; you need to show your loyalty towards them. One way a leader can show loyalty is through acknowledging the work done by them and giving them their due credit for it. Acknowledging the employees that they are a part of bringing results makes the employees more involved. By giving credit, the leader not only affirms the value of an individual’s contribution but also create an environment in which people feel encouraged to be innovative and collaborative a to freely share ideas which in turn helps in inspiring trust in the organization.
To gain loyalty even small gestures by the leader counts. Gestures like wishing the employee personally on their important days like their birthday, or asking about their health or how the employee’s family member is also an effective way through which a leader can inspire loyalty from the employees. These curtsies make the employees’ feel more welcoming in the organisation.
Having loyal employees is an asset to the organization and vice versa. Take the example of Mr. Natarajan Chandrasekaran Chairman of Tata Sons. He had joined TCS as an intern software programmer and eventually rose through ranks which made him the youngest CEO at the age of 46 and eventually became the Chairman. Mr. Chandrasekaran was loyal to the company and stuck to the organisation especially during these times when hopping from one job to another has become a norm. Mr. Chandrasekaran leadership has also benefitted the Tata group, two years since he took over the reign, the market capitalisation of the group rose 21%.
However, in the end, as said earlier it is a two-way street both the employee and the leader work towards it. If the leader is making a genuine effort to demonstrate loyalty, the employees should also reciprocate in order to build trust and loyalty in the organization.