The Loyalty Loop: A 30-Second Move That Builds Unshakable Trust

⏳ Read Time: Less than 4 min.

Welcome back to The Winning Edge! Let’s talk leadership—not the kind that shows up in job titles, but the kind people feel in your presence.

True influence isn’t just about how you speak or what you decide. This week, we’re exploring two often-overlooked leadership moves that build instant loyalty, spark buy-in, and make people feel seen in the moments that matter most.
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This Week’s Insights

✅ The Loyalty Loop – The tiny moment that turns followers into champions ✅ The Calendar Test – A brutally honest leadership self-audit
✅ AI Tool of the Week – Use AI to gather anonymous team sentiment in seconds
✅ Quick Hitters – Unexpected habits that build influence fast
✅ Leadership & Influence – Why “direction” matters more than “decisions”

THE MAIN EVENT
🎤 The Loyalty Loop: A 30-Second Move That Builds Unshakable Trust

Think back to a moment when a leader made you feel seen. It probably wasn’t a big speech—it was a small, unscripted moment.

It’s called a “Loyalty Loop.” And great leaders use them constantly.

What it looks like:
1️⃣ You notice someone’s effort or progress.
2️⃣ You name it—specifically and privately.
3️⃣ You tie it to identity: “That’s the kind of follow-through that makes you a leader people trust.”

This moment creates a feedback loop. The person feels recognized, validated, and motivated to double down.

🕰️ Time required? 30 seconds.
📈 Impact? Long-term loyalty and self-leadership in your team.

🎯 Pro Tip: These are NOT performance reviews. They’re micro-moments. Use them in Slack, hallway chats, or Zoom calls. The best leaders do this weekly.

🔍 The Calendar Test: A Brutally Honest Leadership Audit Want to know what kind of leader you really are?

Open your calendar.

🧭 Leadership lives in your schedule. 
Your calendar reveals what you truly value—more than any mission statement or pep talk.

Ask yourself:
✅ Am I spending time coaching, not just commanding?
✅ Am I meeting with my high performers—or just my high-maintenance people?
✅ Am I blocking space for strategic thinking, or am I only reacting?

Hard truth: If your calendar doesn’t reflect the kind of leader you want to be, neither will your team.

🎯 Try this: Every Friday, take 5 minutes to ask:
“Does next week’s schedule align with the leader I want to be?”

Then make one small shift. That’s how real leadership habits get built.

QUICK HITTERS: Fast Wins for the Week

💡 Tip of the Week: Public praise is good. Private praise is gold. It creates loyalty without performance pressure.

📊 Stat of the Week: 69% of employees say they'd work harder if they felt more recognized. (Source: Gallup)

🎭 Power Move: When making a decision, share the why behind it. People don’t need to agree with every call—but they respect leaders who are transparent.

📖 Recommended Read: “The Motive” by Patrick Lencioni – A sharp, quick read that flips your thinking about what leadership is really for.

WEEKLY DEEP DIVE
Why Direction > Decisions

Most leaders obsess over making the “right” decision. But in fast-moving environments, decisions get outdated quickly.

What matters more? Direction.

📌 A clear direction aligns the team, sets priorities, and reduces confusion. It creates momentum—even if some decisions need tweaking later.

🔄 Here’s the shift:
Instead of asking,
“Is this the perfect decision?”
Start asking,
“Does this move us in the right direction?”

✅ Direction is magnetic. It gives people something to rally behind—even when outcomes are uncertain.

🎯 Want to influence faster? Be the leader who charts the path, not the one who waits for perfect clarity.

AI TIP OF THE WEEK

📌 Tool: Typly – AI That Replies to Messages in Your Style

What it does:
✅ Automatically drafts replies based on your past messaging tone
✅ Suggests smart, natural-sounding responses
✅ Saves time without sacrificing personality

🔗 Try it at typlyapp.com

🧠 Why it matters: Leaders who respond with empathy and precision build trust faster. Typly helps you stay consistent without burning out on inbox fatigue.

WINNING WITH AI: The Future of Sales Proposals and Presentations

AI isn’t just for tech geeks or big corporations—it’s transforming how we sell, present, and communicate. The best sales teams are already using AI to:
✅ Generate compelling, tailored proposals in minutes (not hours).
✅ Turn data into engaging, visual stories that capture attention.
✅ Automate tedious tasks so they can focus on closing deals instead.

This isn’t the future—it’s happening right now.

Get your copy of my ebook here!

ACTION STEPS & COMMUNITY QUESTION

This week, try a Loyalty Loop moment with someone on your team. Be specific. Make it personal. Watch how it shifts the energy.

Then audit your calendar. What one small shift can you make to align your time with the leader you want to be?

👉 Got a leadership habit that’s changed your career? Hit reply and share—I might feature you in an upcoming edition.

P.S.
Next week’s edition is all about Mindset & Motivation—you’ll get one mental framework that elite performers use to stay focused, resilient, and ready—even when things go sideways.

Keep building your edge—one conversation at a time.

YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

If you have more feedback or just want to get in touch, respond to this email, and we’ll get back to you!

Thanks for reading!

Until next week!

Mary Beth