Be loyal to your values first. People change teams; your values shouldn’t.

Loyalty attached to people follows those people wherever they decide to go. If your only rule is backing your friends, then the day one of them does something you would not defend, you are choosing between them and yourself with nowhere to stand. A standard held first gives you ground that is not against anybody. It also makes you the friend worth having, because everyone knows in advance what you will and will not do.

Write down two things you will not do regardless of who is asking. Then check honestly whether last month agreed with you.