In this provocative yet practical book, Fred Reichheld argues that loyalty provides the acid test for leadership in today's volatile business environment, and that most leaders deserve failing grades. In fact, the author is quick to highlight that less than half of today's employees believe their company deserves their loyalty. Reichheld's 1996 international bestseller, The Loyalty Effect, set out his theory and convincingly established the link between loyalty and bottom-line profits. In Loyalty Rules!, he moves from theory to practice, using vivid stories from many of today's most successful companies to illustrate how superior leaders create networks of mutually beneficial, trust-inspiring partnerships between customers, employees, suppliers, and investors. Reichheld's research demonstrates that effective leaders build relationships upon six bedrock principles of Play to win/ profiting at the expense of partners is a short cut to a dead end; Be membership is a privilege; Keep it complexity is the enemy of speed and flexibility; Reward the right worthy partners deserve worthy goals; Listen hard and talk long-term relationships require honest, two-way communication and learning; and Preach what you actions often speak louder than words but together, they are unbeatable.