Why Loyalty Matters – Fulfillment in Work & Life

Review of a Groundbreaking Approach by T. Keiningham and L. Aksoy

Aug 9, 2009 Paym Bergson

Based on the Ipsos Loyalty Study, this book shows how to bring happiness/fulfillment back into work and personal relationships. Complete with access to online assessment.

Why Loyalty Matters, by Timothy Keiningham and Lerzan Aksoy (with Luke Williams), is the latest endeavour by the authors in their renowned research into loyalty. The book is not so much of a "how to" scenario but more of a philosophical and understanding nature. By understanding the why, the reader can analyze and apply the principles to personal and work relationships.

History of Loyalty

Historically, loyalty was actually a survival tactic. Being ostracized from the group usually meant "an early death". Loyalty meant not only belonging to a group, but that group provided protection from outside sources or influences/conditions. Loyalty was (and should be) a virtue.

Nowadays though, loyalty is almost considered an insult. The book uses many quotes and anecdotes to illuminate this point, but one that really sticks out is a CEO responding to a 30 year veteran at a company with the remark "why would you stay with one company all that time". Ouch.

In their book, Keiningham and Aksoy delve into not only what defines loyalty, but describe the many different types of loyalty, or to be more precise, the different ways loyalty affects daily lives. For example, within the business world there is the economics of loyalty. This encompasses the loyalty of employees, customers and businesses; and how each intertwines. More importantly though is what happens when loyalty is just a buzz word rather than an actual entity.

Teaching Loyalty

Why Loyalty Matters does not just talk about the negative connotations that have happened to loyalty; this book actually promotes the positive aspects as well as how to teach loyalty – and why. There is a legal holiday in the United States: May 1st is Loyalty Day. Yet how many are aware of this? Yes, loyalty can be taught, and it does start in the classroom. But it must be continued within society and with all relationships. And it does require effort.

P2R2 Process

The P2R2 process is what Keiningham and Aksoy have developed to transform the philosophy of Why Loyalty Matters into practical application. Basically, this stands for Pinpoint, Prioritize, Reinforce and Reach Out. Their example of how a GPS needs to orientate itself to a new city before it can figure out how to give appropriate directions is an excellent moniker for how people need to know where they are first, before they can figure out where they are going.

LoyaltyAdvisor.com

As an added benefit, the authors use a code in each book to allow a one-time free use of LoyaltyAdvisor: an assessment tool to help the reader figure out what the starting point is, and where/how to get to the next level.

Bottom Line

Why Loyalty Matters takes the reader on an historical and philosophical journey into the varying types and levels of loyalty. Their P2R2 process helps readers to assess their own perceptions of loyalty and how to increase its benefits; LoyaltyAdvisor.com provides the tools for an accurate assessment.

Why Loyalty Matters should be required reading for all MBA programmes. Loyalty can no longer be dismissed as a hang-on from bygone eras and of no use to today's society: in fact, ignoring the benefits of loyalty within all facets of society and relationships is a recipe for disaster. People want to belong; advertising and marketing exploit this basic need. Imagine the growth, both economically and emotionally, if loyalty was again encompassed as a needed virtue and component to business and life.

Check out their website: Why Loyalty Matters.

Book courtesy of FSB Associates.

Reference:

Keiningham, Timothy and Aksoy, Lerzan. Why Loyalty Matters. Dallas, TX USA: BenBella Books Inc., 2009

The copyright of the article Why Loyalty Matters – Fulfillment in Work & Life in Career Advice is owned by Paym Bergson. Permission to republish Why Loyalty Matters – Fulfillment in Work & Life in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Why Loyalty Matters

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