Love

Perhaps at the core, love, from a leadership viewpoint, is best described as when we have genuine care and compassion for those we are leading.

While that is admirable, I wanted to dig in and see how that could actually manifest itself into the actions we can take in leadership positions.

As I thought about this further it dawned on me that maybe it is as simple as ensuring the team has everything it needs to be successful and at the same time deprioritizing personal recognition and putting the spotlight on others as often as possible. It seems that if the team is respected, appreciated, celebrated and supported the chances of success exponentially increase.

Before leaving this area what happens when we take love too far? In my experience it typically manifests itself in situations where others take advantage of the kindness being extended. Not holding everyone to the same standard is leadership 101 yet it can be a difficult area to manage when trying to lead with love. Remembering that it does not stand alone but is part of the overall formula that includes power and discipline I find helpful.

Questions to Consider

1. How can you incorporate love into your leadership journey?
2. Who is a leader that you think of when it comes to this attribute and why?