“It is love, has been love, will always be love that makes the biggest difference in our world.”
— Scott Stabile
A Twilight Zone episode from 1964 depicts a man promoting an automated manufacturing machine as a great change agent that will cut costs by eliminating more than 60,000 jobs, which angered his hard-working employees. The man and his machine have neither empathy nor compassion.
On some levels, technology is a change agent; mechanization brings change, and change is a part of life, as technology continues to develop change takes place rapidly. Machines are doing many things people can, faster and more consistent. Technology does have its limits, as needful as it is it isn’t human, and will always lack the warmth of a personal connection.
Mechanization and Globalization
Technology cannot replace the personal touch and connectedness of personal interactions. Some well-intentioned leaders miss the basics of connectedness in the absence of empathy; they fail to grasp the power of believing and developing the best in others.
No doubt, technology and globalization have changed the workplace. You can have team members who live and work in different countries, making the different time zones, languages, and cultures a challenge to effective teamwork. A global workplace requires an operating system with a well thought out language component that keeps everyone on the same page communicating with clarity.
The Human Touch
We need technology and the benefits of some aspects that globalization provides, but people still require the personal touch that human empathy brings to the workplace. Positive reinforcement, emotional and relational interaction is necessary.
Machines cannot give meaningful reassurance or have that much needed sometimes difficult conversation that love driven leaders can. People need acceptance validation, and a deeper level of connectedness technology alone cannot accommodate.
Working in a Love Driven Culture
“How much you love yourself will define how much you can love others.”
— Debasish Mridha
By working in a love driven culture, I’m referring to the kind of love that demonstrates respect for all people. Many studies confirm that employees who are respected, feel accepted and validated tend to treat one another in like manner. In a love-driven culture, personnel are loyal, perform at higher levels, and welcome accountability.
Re-enter the Age of Personalization
Love driven leaders are change agents; they enable people to reach their potential, empower teams, and become highly productive. Through mutual accountability and shared responsibility, their level of influence flows from their respect and belief in the high potential of every team member, whom they treat like family. The power of agreement that love generates establishes identity, instills confidence, builds self-esteem, and increases productivity.
Natasha Bonnevalle says, “When we leave for work, we don’t leave our humanness at home. Our needs, emotions, and dreams come with us. We want to know that our colleagues respect us, recognize us, care for us – and we want to know that the people who lead us do the same.” (1)
Gravitating Toward Agreement and Cooperation
Personality driven leadership can motivate and energize people, but personality is an external stimulus and pales in comparison to the enduring power of a love-driven leader’s character.
Good character builds trust, brings stability, and lays a solid foundation for an organization to build on. Love driven leaders build relationships bringing about a consensus true to the corporate vision and objectives, understanding that it’s the team that determines the leaders’ effectiveness and the success of the organization.
There’ll always be positional leaders utilizing an authoritarian style equating leadership with power, assigning blame, finding fault, and vilifying those they cannot control.
Love driven leaders are adept at leading members to see themselves as valuable assets to the team and embracing the corporate vision as their own regardless of position cultural differences and time zones.
Enter the Love Driven Workplace
In a love driven culture, employees perform better together due to the mutual respect modeled by the love of their leaders.
Lance Secretan observes, “Leadership is not so much about technique and methods as it is about opening the heart. Leadership is about inspiration—of oneself and of others. Great leadership is about human experiences, not processes. Leadership is not a formula or a program; it is a human activity that comes from the heart and considers the hearts of others. It is an attitude, not a routine.” (2)
4 Factors that make Love-Driven Leaders Change Agents “The golden rule is the moral compass of love-driven leadership.”
— JSP
Love driven leaders are value driven, guided by principles such as humility, accountability, optimism, and love. Here are four factors that make love-driven leaders change agents to any people and culture.
A High EQ
Love driven leaders are emotionally intelligent leaders; they’re motivating and energizing. Keenly in touch with their feelings, desires and motives equip them with empathic intuitiveness that touches hearts almost immediately.
Love
Being love driven makes you others-oriented; you’re more inclined to work toward making others better than they are. Genuine love for self and others releases confidence, purpose, optimism and a sense of belonging in people.
Empowerment
If you’re love driven, you possess a healthy level of self-worth, seeking to liberate people from their insecurities, you’re naturally striving to empower every member of your team. Instilling confidence, self-worth, and a positive mental attitude to meet and overcome challenges make you an indispensable change agent to any organization.
Modeling Accountability
Love driven leaders hold themselves to a high standard of accountability. Leading by example, they naturally make themselves accountable to their team. Accountability protects the cohesiveness of the team, strengthens trust, saves time and money when tackling projects, enabling them to meet deadlines and hit their objectives with confidence.
“The most amazing people are those who love themselves truly and love others endlessly.”
— Debasish Mridha
(1) Natasha Bonnevalle is a partner at the THNK School of Creative Leadership
(2) “Love is one of the core qualities of leadership” by Lance – Secretan Industry Week,1998
*** This article was authored by John Picarello, Chief Leadership Officer at Lions Pride Leadership Co.***