Professional Loyalty vs. Friendship

Professional Loyalty is built around the common interest of two people putting both agendas in a strategic thought process.  Professional Loyalty can encompass friendship but must bridge the friend / fiduciary barrier.  All employees deserve a fiduciary.

Friendship is an emotional attachment that provides social support and in some cases a friendship of convenience.  Knowing if its a friend or acquaintance is critical when using shared information in career decisions.  Acquaintances tend to mold the information conveyed to support their best interest.  Friends convey the pros and cons without malice.

In business, the definitions can get confused usually leaving the employee left hanging after a merger, bankruptcy, or change of control.  History has shown example after example of great "friends" being left with no financial support and a broken bridge to their retirement.  The reality was Professional Loyalty was misplaced and no fiduciary was in place.

When I select a doctor, I want the best in that medical specialty with the best education possible because my health is important to me.  In my career as a banker, I always looked for the best Mentor first and then looked at the company.  Mentors teach us what we do not know and help us build a successful career for a life time.

My Mentors:  Roger White, First Atlanta Bank, - Roseanne Duran, Barnett Bank - Rick Manley, Barnett Bank, Pat Arnold, First Union Bank, and Tom Pacer, First Union Bank.  Each in their own respect, helped me see the most effective methods and principles needed to create a first class organization that can navigate markets and economic cycles successfully.

Hopefully you can list who your mentors are and who helped you build which skill set that propelled your career.  If not, today is a new day “Carpe Diem”.

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