Saturday, July 05, 2008
Patriotism & Loyalty
Yesterday morning I spent watching our local parade with my niece and nephews. It’s been at least 20 years since I’ve gone to a parade, and was surprised to feel so emotional when seeing the American flags and our veterans pass by. I talked with the kids about patriotism. “What’s that?”, they asked. I said, “It’s when someone unselfishly serves their country because they love it so much.” The idea of “unselfish” escaped the 3-year-old, however, the older kids understood the concept of sacrificing for your beliefs.
This concept is called something different in the corporate world—Loyalty. Often, when visiting with clients, I’m asked why employees are no longer “loyal” to their company. The Miriam Webster dictionary defines LOYALTY as “unswerving in allegiance; faithful to a cause, ideal, custom, institution, or product.” We each have our own idea of the depth of allegiance.
If you are a Baby Boomer manager managing a Generation Y team member, you will need to understand what allegiance - loyalty - means to that employee. Don’t be surprised if they define it as:
* Only working 9am - 5pm. Over-time is not an option (it interferes with work/life balance).
* Not taking client calls on weekends.
* Keeping their resume updated and going on interviews.
* Meeting minimum goal standards. (If you wanted them to do more, then state that in the goal.)
Having a conversation around all team members’ boundaries will give you a better idea of their commitment to your team and organization.
Until next time...live like you mean it!
Marjorie