Three Things Good Leaders Practice to Earn the Loyalty of Their Team

“Send me a man to fight!” was the cry from the valley of Elah by the Philistine warrior Goliath. Saul had the opportunity to save countless thousands of his men from slaughter if he would fight for them – serve as their Protector.

This was a common practice for armies in those days and soldiers knew how good leaders performed in these circumstances. Leaders were expected to protect those who served them. Saul was the king, thus the appointed leader of the people, but he failed as their protector.

So David stepped up, fought Goliath and won the battle – along with the hearts of the people. This was only the first of many times he would serve as their protector. This resulted in Saul’s jealousy and the people’s loyalty. How did he win their loyalty? David practiced three things that good leaders practice to earn the loyalty of their team:

1. He fought for them. Good leaders stand up for the team who serves with them. Their team has the confidence of knowing their leader wants the best for them and will fight for them.
2. He protected them. Good leaders protect their team from the “stuff” and “people” that cause discouragement or harm. The leader attempts to combat negative influences, criticism or personal attacks. Their team has the confidence of knowing their leader will serve as a shield even to the point of personal sacrifice on their behalf if necessary.
3. He cared for them. Good leaders make sure their team members have what they need to minister effectively. Obviously, no leader has the resources to supply every need, but his team has the confidence of knowing their leader is willing to sacrifice in order to provide for them.

Good leaders do not have to demand loyalty nor do they need to ask others to follow them.

When a leader is willing to practice selfless principles, team members willingly follow and serve.

Tweet This

There is no perfect leader: David had definitely had his moments of failure. . . . Which, when we think about it, should be a source of encouragement to all of us. It is to me!

Let’s Talk: I enjoy getting feedback concerning my posts through all of my social media sites. Feel free to share your thoughts or personal applications about this blog post here or at any of my social media venues.