If you do not officially lead people, one day you may. If you are officially a leader of people, you are also still the follower of a leader. In either situation, the character traits you display in your ‘following’ determines your value to those you lead, to those you follow, to an organization, and to society at large.

I list loyalty among the top 10 attributes displayed by great followers, and I believe that great followers make the best leaders. Loyalty has a bit of a bad rap in our society, simply because it has often been misplaced and not well defined. To describe what this attribute involves when appropriately displayed, I want to talk about a few things that loyalty is and a few that it is not.

Loyalty IS:

Devotion – to show loyalty to someone, you stick with them through good times and bad. A leader’s mistake in strategic judgment, a co-worker botching their part of an assignment, a rough patch in a marriage; none of this causes you to give up and turn your back on another when you are loyal.

Honesty – when you are loyal to someone, you desire for them to be ultimately successful. This requires your honest input when asked and occasionally despite not being asked. Your input needs to be well thought out and based upon proven principles.

Compliance – after your input, your loyalty requires that you carry out a given directive. This means that even if it is not what you would have done as leader, you carry it out as if it was, not undermining the leader with back-office chatter or sabotage. You “own” decisions when you’ve had the chance to input.

Loyalty is NOT:

Single-minded – great followers recognize they have responsibility to more than just one leader. Reality dictates we not only have more than one leader, but we also carry responsibility to many in our circle of influence. The success of your leader requires you to consider all aspects.

Blind – no leader benefits from being surrounded by “yes men”. Blind loyalty has led to many scandals, and the downfall of entire organizations. Loyalty does not dictate doing something illegal, immoral, or unethical. A leader with a track record of wrong judgments may be better served with non-compliance.

Obedience – dictators demand obedience; leaders get compliance. There is a place for obedience. Children obeying parents, citizens obeying the law, for example. Obedience, however, comes from a place of avoiding punishment. We choose compliance for the blessing or benefit.

So, knowing what loyalty is and is not, does a great follower ever get to leave one leader or organization for another? Absolutely. But leave well. Do not grumble, do not leave bodies in your wake, and do not be disloyal to those around you.

Leaving for another great opportunity usually (and should) be celebrated by the leader or organization you have been with. Even when parting over disagreements, though, keep in mind that there are many ways to accomplish a single objective. If nothing illegal, immoral, or unethical has taken place, showing honor is how great followers leave well, and become great leaders in their own right.