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I am a pretty strict believer in loyalty. I live it and I demand it. Not in harsh, ‘kingly’ sort of way, but more of a gentle ‘I am way too busy for your call’ way.

I can list loyalty as one of my strong traits. I may sometimes be loyal to a fault. I have always felt it was something that was valuable not only to me, but to those around me.

Loyalty to my friends, coworkers, vendors, and clients is a powerful part of my personal brand.

Expecting that loyalty to be returned is not something I can expect, but it is something I do recognize as being very important to me.

What is loyalty?

To me it means I can trust those around me to be considerate when they discuss me and my business to others. It means lying and gossiping about me is limited to the good stuff. No, I’m not kidding about this. I do not gossip about my friends, although I may be candid about situations that we have mutually agreed on whether agreeable or not. Telling someone that my bud Dave doesn’t like the ‘snapshot’ aesthetic which I do enjoy is not the same as telling some dark and potentially damaging bit of knowledge I may know about him. Arguing over aesthetics in photography is fun, and it is open for all.

Those things that are private are easily known. If you know something about someone and have a question as to whether you should share it, you already have your answer. No. You should not.

Loyalty to my clients means billing correctly and on time. It means plugging them at every opportunity. It means arranging a meeting between them and another client who may be a perfect fit for their product or service.

And it means I do the best I can at every single thing I do with them.

Loyalty means honesty too. You cannot be loyal to someone and lie to them at the same time. Not. Possible.

I find that loyalty begets loyalty in most cases. The people around me are those who recognize this attribute as being something that is important to them. And they expect the loyalty they give to me to be returned.

It’s a win-win deal for both sides, and it brings great rewards. Both in business and in our personal lives.

What about those who do not understand loyalty or how important it is to me? Well, they find me less responsive to them. I do not want drama in my life, and loyalty or disloyalty is one of the fastest way to create drama. Gossip, bad information, lies and distortions can create more problems than you can imagine.

People recognize loyalty when they see it, and experience it. And most of them appreciate it as though it was a rare and precious gem.

It is.

Working in a creative business means you need people around you to want to put in some extra work, push you to do your best, support you when you begin to falter, and above all – they have your back when things start to go dark. Like the loyalty of so many of our fictional heroes, this trait can help define who you are, and who ends up being part of your group, or tribe. Your loyalty can inspire others to offer their own.

Some ways to identify loyalty:

  1. Are you tempted to gossip about those who are your friends and allies, or do you find yourself defending them against the pettiness of other people’s gossip?
  2. Do you think of your clients when you see something that could benefit them? Do you make that call or just let it slide?
  3. If you hear something of a substantial nature is being said about someone you know, or a client you work with, do you give them a call and a head’s up. Perhaps they are unaware of this situation and need to follow up on it.
  4. Do your friends give you head’s up on things that you may not know, or situations where you may need to pay special attention to?
  5. Do your clients want to work with you on gigs even if others are bidding lower rates? That is a great sign of loyalty.

There are other ways to be loyal and to identify it in those around you, but the most important thing to do is to BE LOYAL where you can.

Not just because it is ‘good business’. Not just because of what you can gain from it.

But simply because it is the right way to be.

PHOTO INFO:
In Booth Bay, Maine, we stopped at this great little trailer for hot dogs. Best damn hot dogs ever. The two ladies inside were extremely pleasant and gave us a map to some out of the way places that were amazing. if you are in Booth Bay, Maine – ever – stop and get some amazing hot dogs! Canon, 20-35MM L 2.8.

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