Loyalty, at what Price?

I have always considered myself a loyal person. I am a loyal friend, coworker, wife and mother. But when we examine loyalty, it can have good and bad motives. Merriam - Webster dictionary defines loyal as ‘unswerving in allegiance’. It doesn’t say anything about whether the thing or person we have allegiance to has to be honorable. Pets, dogs particularly, are loyal without judgment.

History has proven that people can show their loyalty in horrifying ways. Fear of death, punishment, backlash or exclusion can factor into it. Or it can be as simple as fear of losing a job or a position of power. Loyal comes from the old French word “leial” which originated from a Latin word meaning something like "legal".  It makes sense when you think about it. It would be so much easier to just require loyalty than it is to earn it.

Our loyalty can also be earned with an incentive. Consumer loyalty programs encourage that loyalty every day through discounts, money or benefits. Loyalty can be self-serving, even if it’s not the right thing to do.

But when we look at what loyalty should represent, a better definition might be ‘unswerving in allegiance - to an honorable cause, person or thing that brings joy and satisfaction to all involved’. Because when we do the right thing, then loyalty can pay off in a big way for those you are loyal to and those loyal to you.

I was blessed with loyal employees for many years, some working for me for over 25 years. Their loyalty may have been based on having a stable job, health benefits and a paycheck. But I like to think loyalty factored into it for other reasons such as, they liked their job and their work environment.

In real estate, agents and brokers are always on the quest for loyalty. Agents want loyal customers, and brokers want loyal agents. In the last few years, we have seen that loyalty can be bought in a big way in the real estate industry. Aggressive recruiting tactics have lured away the most seemingly loyal agents.  A lot of recruiting success has been based on money or a promise of services, but sometimes it has been as simple as ‘they made me feel important’ or ‘they listened to me’. So I recommend that you get to know them, acknowledge them, listen to them, empower them, respect them, reward them, trust them and invest in them and they will think hard before leaving.

When examining your business, think about why a client or an agent or employee should be loyal. When money is the ultimate deciding factor, it’s hard to compete, but it usually doesn’t withstand the test of time. Sometimes the simplest of things, like doing the right thing and making someone feel special, can ensure that loyalty is the only choice.

“The only people I owe my loyalty to are those who never made me question theirs.” ~ Unknown