[Column] Who are you rooting for?

This summer, millions of people are watching the World Cup. We root for a team whose players we don’t know personally. Yet we say: “We’re winning,” “We’re losing,” “We’re moving on.” Why is that, anyway?

Because people want to belong somewhere. Because we are loyal to something greater than ourselves.

That thought brings me to entrepreneurship. Because who are you actually rooting for?

For your own business, of course. That’s where your time, energy, and often even your sleep go. But does it stop there? Or do you also cheer on the entrepreneur next door in the business park? The supplier who’s always willing to think along with you? The shopkeeper around the corner? The region where you do business?

Loyalty is often seen as something you receive: a customer who stays, an employee who doesn’t leave, a partner who remains committed to working with you.

But true loyalty usually starts differently.

With giving.

By investing in relationships without immediately calculating what you’ll get out of them. By being generous with one another. By offering an introduction, a piece of advice, or a helping hand when no one has asked for it.

That might not seem efficient. Until things get tough. Because that’s when you discover what a relationship is truly worth. When a project doesn’t go as planned. When the market is under pressure. When someone makes a mistake. That’s when it becomes clear whether loyalty was a strategy or a conviction.

That’s precisely when you often see the best side of entrepreneurship: entrepreneurs helping one another, sharing knowledge, and working together—not because they have to, but because they understand that a strong network starts with strong relationships among themselves.

So if you’re watching a game this summer and catch yourself saying, “We’re in the lead,” ask yourself: Who is that “we” in your company? Because the quality of that answer may well determine the strength of your company.

This column appeared in the summer issue of Into Business. Be sure to read the previous column as well: