Society & Culture Loyalty

[crownie]

does it mean anything anymore in the world today and did it ever?

for most of my life my decisions have been based around being loyal weather it be sport clubs,friends and jobs i have had but i was thinking lately from a selfish point of view that i have not really gotten anything out of being a loyal person.

does anyone have any examples of when they got something out of being loyal or are you a person who would leave a company/sport team/friends to join a rival if it mean't getting more money or being more successful out of it.

i have a friend who lately has joined a rival sporting club and company and it didn't bother him as he stated 'most look out to only benifit themselves anyway' which i think is pretty true espically these days.

 

[Shell]

does it mean anything anymore in the world today and did it ever?
.

Nice post Crownie.

I would consider myself to be a loyal person.. but then on the flip side you cant be a pushover.. loyalty works both ways!!!

Is interesting that sporting clubs demand "loyalty", yet if I were to leave my job no one would bat an eyelid. I'm not particularly loyal to my job.. I would change schools If I wanted to, no big deal imo. Imo I am more loyal to friends and family. But again its a 2-way street.

 

[rdhopkins2]

I'm loyal to my friends and family, however I've seen enough of employers actions to know that no matter how good a job you do or how long you are there for, that an employee is expendable. Take the case of a mate of my Dad's.

40yrs of service to company Z, gets given a watch at work drinks and the next day told he no longer has a job- here's your notice mate. Now that bloke has set up branches overseas, overseen the management of Melbourne and Sydney operations etc and done a brilliant job. He should have left when he was offered the big biccies elsewhere in hindsight. So loyalty in business? Don't count on it.

 

[Johnson#26]

great post and topic. it's something i think about a lot, but never realise it (subconciously, it affects a lot of the decisions we make). i'd like to think that i'm very loyal - even to myself, and my beliefs and my past (if i made a decision in the past, i want to back it up and stick with it for the duration).

fwiw - as it stands, i could only play footy for my original club, unless it meant prospects of higher honours. i just couldn't stand the idea of putting on another jumper (school footy/affiliates aside).

 

[r dub 19]

I'm loyal to my friends and family, however I've seen enough of employers actions to know that no matter how good a job you do or how long you are there for, that an employee is expendable. Take the case of a mate of my Dad's.

40yrs of service to company Z, gets given a watch at work drinks and the next day told he no longer has a job- here's your notice mate. Now that bloke has set up branches overseas, overseen the management of Melbourne and Sydney operations etc and done a brilliant job. He should have left when he was offered the big biccies elsewhere in hindsight. So loyalty in business? Don't count on it.

Recently read the 50th law and it opened my eyes about organisations and people. When it comes to business the company you work for doesn't value you as a person but more like a piece of capital equipment. There may be some cases were companies are loyal to their workers but I think it's the exception and not the rule.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

My loyalty generally only extends as fair as my family, closest friends and of course my fiancee (fits into the closest friend category). I'm not a jerk and don't go out of my way to screw people around, but what I mean is I generally take care of myself first when around anyone outside of that group.

I'd consider myself a pretty easy going, understanding and loyal person but not to the point where I'm a push over. You don't have to be 100% loyal to every person that you meet in day to day life, but that doesn't mean you have to be a lying prick either.

Find a happy medium and respect people who deserve respect, I guess.

 

[BigBadCam]

Loyalty will win you friends. Loyalty is an admirable quality that you should always seek to uphold. A few years ago, I had an opportunity to play football at a higher level, and have played football against and with blokes who shop themselve round each year.

I guess in football, it depends what you want to get out of it. I play to be with mates and have fun drinking beer and socialising after games. I could make a bit more money playing at a higher level, but at the end of the day, unless you`re in the top tier money in football is insignificant. I`d much rather be with my friends.

I`m loyal to every woman I go out with. As soon as I find out she`s not being loyal, I`m out of there. In a relationship, loyalty is what I look for most. I`d want a life partner to be with me through thick and thin.

As for companies and work, I couldn`t give a rat`s arse about the company. I`m there providing my services. I`ve spent years educating myself to prepare myself to provide said services, and they pay me well for doing it. If someone else is going to offer me more money and better perks to provide my expertise, then I`ll take it. I will do my best job when I`m at work, but I will not hesitate to jump ship because at the end of the day I know they`d no doubt fire me without a second thought if the need arose.

As you said though Akk, if you`re too loyal with people you`re a pushover. You`re like an abused puppy that keeps wagging its tail and coming back for another beating.

 

[TheStinger]

You want loyalty, get a dog.

 

[BigBadCam]

L.Colbert - All the characterstics of a dog, except the loyalty. haha.

Why should I not epect loyalty from the people I hang out with. I`ve spent a lot of time with selfish, self interested people in my life. Sometimes it is necessary, but in really close friends and especially in a partner, I expect loyalty.

 

[Histrionics]

fwiw - as it stands, i could only play footy for my original club, unless it meant prospects of higher honours. i just couldn't stand the idea of putting on another jumper (school footy/affiliates aside).

I feel the same way about my cricket club. A lot of people don't though. whether it be chasing money or falling outs with people.

I have played at a few different football clubs but I'm not as passionate with playing footy as I was with playing cricket.

The main reason of moving football clubs was mates. I wanted to play with them.

There is no loyalty when it comes to jobs. Companies will never be loyal to you so why should someone be loyal to them?

 

[THRILLHO]

I think it's bullshit that AFL clubs speak of the 'brand', footy as a 'business' et cetera, et cetera and then turn around and expect loyalty from their players. Every aspect of AFL in the twenty-first century is a business, except, ostensibly, player contracts.

Players are, increasingly, being treated like an asset with a dollar value and once that asset declines in value (approaching the age of 30), clubs become extremely reluctant to reward loyalty (Essendon and Lloyd). Players need to approach the game like the business it is being presented as.

I'd have no issue with Ablett leaving to GC17 in 2011, I have no issue with Thurston shopping himself around and, ultimately, I'd have no issue with any player from North Melbourne leaving for a better contract.

They're only in the game for ten or twelve years, they give everything and they need to set themselves up for the future. It's something that we, as fans, will have to adjust to. The one-club player is an increasingly rare breed and, anyway, is playing for one club such an achievement in the grand scheme of things? No one gives you a pat on the back for clocking up ten years in the one workplace, in fact, people will often tell you that you need a change to keep fresh.

 

[BigBadCam]

I think it's bullshit that AFL clubs speak of the 'brand', footy as a 'business' et cetera, et cetera and then turn around and expect loyalty from their players. Every aspect of AFL in the twenty-first century is a business, except, ostensibly, player contracts.

Players are, increasingly, being treated like an asset with a dollar value and once that asset declines in value (approaching the age of 30), clubs become extremely reluctant to reward loyalty (Essendon and Lloyd). Players need to approach the game like the business it is being presented as.

I'd have no issue with Ablett leaving to GC17 in 2011, I have no issue with Thurston shopping himself around and, ultimately, I'd have no issue with any player from North Melbourne leaving for a better contract.

They're only in the game for ten or twelve years, they give everything and they need to set themselves up for the future. It's something that we, as fans, will have to adjust to. The one-club player is an increasingly rare breed and, anyway, is playing for one club such an achievement in the grand scheme of things? No one gives you a pat on the back for clocking up ten years in the one workplace, in fact, people will often tell you that you need a change to keep fresh.

AFL is a different kettle o fish,but in bush/country footy you have flogs changing clubs each year for an extra 30/40 dollars a game. They are more often than not a stain on a club and never ake any mates.

 

[THRILLHO]

Yeah, no doubt. Getting paid for footy is only the cherry on the cake.

 

[MF]

I'm not going to give specific examples but certain events over the past few years of my life have really given me a different outlook. I used to consider myself to be an extremely loyal person, not so much with work etc but definitely with people close to me.

Anyway... certain people in my life and events have caused a major shift in my thinking, which is sad in a way, but it's just the way the world is. The majority of people will always look out for themselves and their needs above all else. I've just decided to do the same. I'm still a good mate etc but I'm smart enough to know you can't trust people that can't trust themselves.

As for companies... lol. No company deserves loyalty from an employee. It's a business relationship, as soon as that relationship isn't mutually beneficial it's time to move on.

 

[BigBadCam]

I'm not going to give specific examples but certain events over the past few years of my life have really given me a different outlook. I used to consider myself to be an extremely loyal person, not so much with work etc but definitely with people close to me.

Anyway... certain people in my life and events have caused a major shift in my thinking, which is sad in a way, but it's just the way the world is. The majority of people will always look out for themselves and their needs above all else. I've just decided to do the same. I'm still a good mate etc but I'm smart enough to know you can't trust people that can't trust themselves.

As for companies... lol. No company deserves loyalty from an employee. It's a business relationship, as soon as that relationship isn't mutually beneficial it's time to move on.

I like that.

You can`t trust people who can`t trust themselves.

AND

You can`t respect people who can`t respect themselves.