This is about loyalty . . . how far will you go?

How far will you take loyalty towards your employer, a client or even friends and family?

Are you willing to bend or hide the truth, or even lie under the “umbrella” of loyalty ?

What triggered my thoughts about that subject, was a conversation with a very good friend of mine.

I know my friend is a very hard-working, serious and definitely a loyal person. She does not mind working twelve hours a day, if necessary, as long as she thinks YOU – as a boss – worth all the trouble . . . . She certainly always worked hard and is still doing a great job.

Last night, I got an e-mail from her telling me that her boss was fired. Of course, I picked up the phone and called her right away to get the scoop and, no, I am not nosey but very empathetic with people I care about. :)

So, apart from the fact that he got himself fired because he couldn’t produce any profit for the company for the last two years, he is also trying to take away clients from this company to a new company he has already founded. Nothing wrong with trying BUT he is asking my friend to give a false statement about a contract with one of their current major clients, which was already sealed, signed, and delivered in February. All this because he wants to take this client with him.

In short, he expects her to lie to the board saying that this contract has not been signed yet and to forget to remind them (the Head Office) about the situation.

I have to admit, I was furious! Not only about her taking into consideration to agree to that plot but mostly about her soon-to-be ex-Boss who expects her to go for that scenario under the promise that she will soon follow him to his new company.

Loyalty . . . a small word with a big meaning that often becomes underestimated and/or twisted but for me, loyalty to someone always means to be loyal to myself as well. If I am forced to make a decision, which makes it hard for me to look in the mirror, I will stay away from it!

As for my friend, I hope she will make the right decision ...an ethical one !