Introduction
Today, across the country, kids will pass along valentines to celebrate their love and appreciation for friends. Around the same time, young and old sweethearts will pass along gifts to demonstrate their affection for one another. Millions of people today will celebrate the power of love in its many different forms, and yet, at work, love has a history of being a bit out of place, even taboo. Now there are a lot of understandable reasons why leaders are hesitant to bring up the “L” word in the workplace and while love may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about the business world, make no mistake about it, love is a crucial component of positive leadership.
What is Leading with Love
The love being discussed here is genuine care & concern that shapes how we lead the people on our teams. It shows up when leaders see team members as people first and not just pawns to complete tasks. We see it when patience is demonstrated, mercy is offered for missteps, and individuals experience belonging and safety within a team. As leaders, we may have great vision and deep knowledge, but Theodore Roosevelt summarized it best, “no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” And by care, we don’t think Roosevelt was implying that it’s always sunshine, rainbows, and raises. Caring requires hard conversations, and we will demonstrate this kind of care when we lead with love. We will step into moments of accountability and correction, but not with cold hearts. This kind of love drives results. Team members may love what they do, but if they are led by someone who does not love and support them, their passion for what they do may be suffocated. To lead well, a leader must love well. The question is, how do leaders lead with love?
How to Lead with Love
Rosabeth Kanter, author and professor at Harvard Business School, offered six keys leaders can implement to encourage organizational change. These strategies invoke change because they are all ways to lead with love:
- Show up. Leaders who love are present. A leader’s presence is meaningful and makes a difference. When a leader is present, it communicates that being with your team is valued and that you appreciate being around them.
- Speak up. Leaders who love communicate. Leaders should use the power of their voices to provide support to their team, express appreciation, and offer guidance. Leaders who love also empower team members to speak up. Giving your team members a platform to be heard lets them know you genuinely care about them.
- Look up. Leaders who love are focused on mission AND people. Leaders drive the mission but do not sacrifice their team’s well-being in the process. They are mindful of their team’s needs while encouraging purpose-driven work.
- Team up. Leaders who love care about the team. There is no better opportunity to experience the value of relationships than in a team. A leader who cultivates a team mentality seeks to emphasize that their team is stronger together. Watch any team sport for a short period of time, and you will see that when a team member hits the ground, someone is there to help them up.
- Never give up. Leaders who love are resilient. There are always going to be trials faced by our team members: learning curves, relational conflict, and personal life issues. A loving leader will be patient with team members and offer support as their team encounters these trials. These actions reinforce team members’ perception of a leader’s belief in them.
- Lift others up. Leaders who love are encouraging. They recognize when a team member does something well and acknowledges their success. When a team member is down, a loving leader will offer support and encouragement.
Reflection: What makes it difficult for you to lead with love? How will you utilize the six keys of encouraging change to start/continue demonstrating love?
