Leader love is a choice.
The love of a team is created from a heart of intention. It is not a passing fancy nor a feeling accented by a swift shiver.
Effective leaders love their teams from the amoeba cell of servanthood. People who love make a daily choice to sacrifice personal needs for the good of working with others. Leaders plan and expect to die daily. Personal wants and needs are gladly delayed or forgotten for the good of others.
How can we lead without love? If God is love and I have not love, how can I lead? The not-so-obvious answer is that I cannot lead. I may be able to manage in the short term but without love, leadership becomes fake news. We kid ourselves into thinking that people listen to us and follow our direction.
A loveless leader lacks the empathy to understand the needs of others.
How does a leader choose to love?
1- It starts with a good ear. A good ear is inclusive–everyone matters. Loving leaders don’t fake listen. They have a strong desire to understand opposing points of view. Counterpoint is always welcomed. Buy-in is better than shove-down.
2- Effective leaders keep good notes of promises made. Follow-up on small things and please do sweat the small stuff.
3- Love language in the office is as important as love language in the home. Choose to let go of thoughts that tear down. The workplace is filled with people who spew negativity. Leaders can change the atmosphere with well-chosen words of life.
4- “Love keeps no record of wrongs.” Yes, we must maintain HR files, but we must also be quick to help people move on from mistakes. Restoration is important for the individual and team productivity.
5- Create a culture of job security. How can people perform at their best when their livelihood is threatened? We want people thinking about how to grow the organization rather than thinking about finding new work. Confidence in a team can lead to higher productivity.
Busyness can rob our intentions.
We must break down the strongholds of excuses to not lead with love.
“What shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35)
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