So many of us believe that leaders are cold, aloof and analytical, or that they separate their emotions from their work.
Sometimes we also believe that leaders don’t need love, affection and friendship.
How many times have we heard that leadership is not a popularity contest, and that leaders don’t care if they are liked? Or that leaders just want to be respected?
I am here to tell you that is NONSENSE.
The single most important factor that differentiates a good leader from a great leader is LOVE.
Yes, you heard me.
Love!
The best leaders want to be liked. They want openness from others. They want to be understood, appreciated, and communicated with.
Leaders who do not care and are cold hearted or cold blooded are not very successful leaders.
When you Lead With Love, success follows.
In fact, the best chemistry that leaders can have with their followers are that they care and share.
You don’t love someone because of who they are. You love them because of the way they make you feel.
This applies to your leadership, your business, and your personal relationships.
When we show love; when we demonstrate appreciation, it is reflected back to us.
We will work harder and more effectively for that person we love. We will be more loyal and dedicated to them, and it will be in direct proportion to how they make us feel.
To lead from love is to understand at a deeper level how to bring out the best in people.
It’s how to empower them to perform at a much greater level than anyone believes possible.
People will meet you and mirror you.
If you are open, they will be open.
If you are closed, they will be closed.
If you are vulnerable, they will be vulnerable.
The key to leadership is to lead with love. Leading with love means knowing and caring about what inspires and empowers people. It’s about caring enough to know what is important to them and helping them succeed. Leading with love is the key to leadership success. To lead effectively, you must love the people you are leading.
Lead From Within: To be a leader who leads from love is to continuously develop the art of leadership. No matter how masterful or successful you may be, you are always working on improving and inspiring others. To lead with love benefits both the leader and the follower. It benefits your business, your relationships, your community, and our culture.
N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.
Sumu
12. May, 2011
Thank you Lolly, I’m surfing the net since 2001, but still I never read this kind of article that amazed me, and inspired me a lot. Your articles have shown me a positive and meaningful way to go ahead. Really, I would like to request you that please try to bring forward your articles to the young generation in that I belong to. I’ve been addicted in your great articles. Thank you.
Monica Diaz
12. May, 2011
I LOVE your writing. Your heart and soul come through! And I agree wholeheartedly. It is no less than LOVE that makes for the kind of leadership that inspires and moves crowds. Love for the task at hand. Love for life and learning. Love for those who follow and those who have led the way before. Love for self and others and for everything bigger than who we are. LOVE, love, love… the secret sauce behind true leaders’ message!
Simon Harvey
12. May, 2011
Love this post, well all of your posts I love. But this one should be on billboards around the country. The world needs leaders that Love to lead because they love life and the people around them.
If we can all Evolve and be Very Open Leaders, that embrace love, we will then see what human emotion can do for the planet.
Hate and jealousy, are but a muddy puddle to the Oceans of life that love is. The ocean rises and fall, with more love in the world the oceans will rise higher and engulf those muddy puddles.
Thank you Lolly for turning more of those muddy puddles into clear pools of life.
Always lead with LOVE.
Phillip
14. May, 2011
There is a great book by Ken Blanchard, “Lead Like Jesus” that hits this very subject. He should be our benchmark. Love the post.
Harry Michael
26. Nov, 2017
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