Love and Leadership
As February approaches, I am trying to be very intentional about my 2023-word choice. For those that read my post last year, you know that I chose the word “agape,” which is the highest form of love, in lieu of a New Year’s resolution. Every new year, I set goals and intentions for each area of my life that tie back to my newly chosen word.
This year, however, I won’t be selecting a new word. Rather, I am going to spend this year trying to grow in my understanding and application of agape because I haven’t mastered it yet. Specifically, I am focusing on the concept of agape in leadership. I can almost see the reader’s eyes rolling as I write this, but I ask you to hear me out.
Leading with love can be difficult. I imagine that is because we often confuse “love the noun” with “love the verb,” and we think of love as a feeling we have rather than an action we take.
Love Leads to Impactful Leadership
Many of us have learned how to lead in traditional leadership structures where we often rely on power. What if we chose to lead by incorporating into our leadership style Dr. Robert Sternberg’s triangular theory of love, where love is defined as intimacy, passion, and commitment?
One aspect of this definition of love is intimacy. When leaders exercise emotional intelligence and foster a sense of connection or community, they embody this aspect of love.
Another component of the definition of love is related to passion. When leaders are fully engaged and encourage others to discover and leverage their gifts, they demonstrate passion.
The final element of this definition of love incorporates the concept of commitment. When leaders demonstrate dedication to their organizations and teams, consistently encouraging others to be their best, they demonstrate commitment.
Become a More Impactful Leader
I imagine that some of you reading this blog have, like me, formed your leadership philosophies under the impression that social issues weren’t the responsibility of the organization. I am one that breathed, ate, and lived Milton Friedman’s idea that profit generation is a moral obligation - I know, gasp! My agape challenge to myself this year – and to you – is to embrace the idea that genuine love in leadership has the power and significant capacity to change lives – and isn’t that one of the reasons many of us chose to become leaders in the first place?
If you are still unconvinced that there is a place for love in leadership, I encourage you to watch Army Colonel Joe Riccardi’s video.
Here’s to exploring love in our leadership,
