View Single Post
Old 12-01-2009, 01:29 PM   #13
Michael Hackett
Dojo: Kenshinkan Dojo (Aikido of North County) Vista, CA
Location: Oceanside, California
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,253
Offline
Re: Response to "Loyalty, an Aiki perspective"

As both a military and law enforcement leader, I use to tell all of my subordinates that I demanded complete loyalty from them. I went on to explain that complete loyalty by my definition was NOT blind obedience, unwarranted trust or subservient respect, but rather the courage and loyalty to tell me when they thought I was wrong or heading in the wrong direction. I also explained that we could discuss their point of view unless we were dealing with an emergency situation and sometimes I would agree to their suggestions, find a compromise, or sometimes maintain the course I set. At the conclusion of that discussion, I expected that we would walk away and get on with business by implementing the decision finally made as if either one of us, or both, was the intellectual architect of the decision.

Loyalty was a two-way street as well. My subordinates could count on my loyalty to them; to not put them in unnecessary harm, to trust their judgment and back their decisions, to always let them know where they stood with me and with the organization, and to take care of their needs.

As for respect and trust - that's exactly what I hoped to earn.

My relationship with my teacher is very much the same. I feel free to question his decisions in the appropriate setting and know that he will hear me out. Oftentimes I learn a great deal when he shares the benefit of his thinking. I know that he has my best interests at heart and will give me his best. As a result, I hold him in the highest esteem with the greatest of trust, respect, and admiration. If either one of us were to betray that trust, then we would part ways very quickly indeed.

Michael
"Leave the gun. Bring the cannoli."
  Reply With Quote