Energy Spring Leadership

  • Home
  • About You
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Contact

Leading with Love (or You Can’t Succeed by Yourself)

February 14, 2016 By Deb Busser Leave a Comment

Happy Office Feb 2016

I learned that leadership is about falling in love with the people and the people falling in love with you.”

Joyce Banda, Former President of Malawi & Forbes Power Women List #40

A technology executive at a Fortune 500 multi-national, Roger had always succeeded at intellectual pursuits. He worked hard in school, received the highest marks, and continued to earn advanced degrees. Upon entering the workforce, his career followed a similar upward trajectory.

Consistently identified as a high potential employee, Roger had been promoted every 2-3 years without fail. His determination and commitment helped him build a reputation as someone who got things done well, and on time. Then, at two levels down from the CEO, the promotions stopped.

Although no one worked harder or was smarter (in his own estimation), Roger relied too heavily on the technical aspects of his leadership. In his desire to perform and succeed, he neglected to pay attention to building the relationships needed to influence those around him. He needed to “show some love”.

Says Tim Sanders, author of Love is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends, “All of your knowledge won’t amount to much if you don’t have a network of people to share it with — and enough compassion for the people in that network to understand that your success is a direct result of their success.”

It can be sobering for leaders to realize that they have been investing in strategies and behaviors that no longer bring the rewards or recognition they desire. The next leadership frontier is often about winning the hearts and minds of the people around you.

I’ve had clients express a desire to influence people, without actually building relationships with people. It takes ‘too much time”, there are no clear process maps, and there is the possibility for ‘error’ in real time interactions.

In Reclaiming Conversation, Sherry Turkle relates the discomfort we have in communicating face-to-face, versus email. It is those real– sometimes messy–conversations that allow us to find common ground, to build trust, and to develop productive, sustainable relationships with our colleagues.

Roger did the work of “showing more love” in the workplace. He got curious about the people on his team, and built time into his calendar to interact with peers and the senior leadership team more frequently. He made an effort to share his knowledge and his network with others, and derived great and unexpected satisfaction from connecting at a deeper level. And that promotion? He got that too.

This month, and always, how can you fall in love with people a little bit more? Tweet: This month, and always, how can you fall in love with people a little bit more?

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Receive new posts in your inbox

Subscribe and be the first to know about new articles and resources from Energy Spring Leadership.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Receive new posts in your inbox

Subscribe and be the first to know about new articles and resources from Energy Spring Leadership.

Recent Blog Posts

  • Leading with New Eyes April 27, 2018
  • Leading From Your Power Center February 14, 2018
  • Leading Without Feedback: How Even Good Leaders Stop the Flow April 3, 2017
  • Leading Your Own Career Part III: Intentionally Growing and Evolving October 13, 2016
  • Leading in the Space Between September 22, 2016
  • Leading Your Own Career Part II: Building Relationships—“Activity generates activity” June 15, 2016
  • Leading Your Own Career Part I: Understand the Marketplace and Cross-Pollinate May 25, 2016
  • Leading When Your Tank is Empty (and How to Re-Fuel) May 6, 2016
  • Leading for Growth (or Evolution is Not Optional) March 16, 2016
  • Leading with Love (or You Can’t Succeed by Yourself) February 14, 2016
  • Leading with Intention (or How to Bend Reality to Your Will) January 21, 2016
  • Leading with Gratitude (or How To Be a Better Leader and a Happier Person) December 5, 2015
  • Leading Beyond Your Comfort Zone (and Exploring New Territory) October 29, 2015
  • Leading with Authenticity (or Being Successful While Being Yourself) September 24, 2015
  • Leading When You Are Away From the Office August 3, 2015
  • Leading When Your Buttons Are Pushed June 8, 2015
  • Leading with Vulnerability May 6, 2015
  • Leading When You “Don’t Have Your Act Together” April 7, 2015
  • Leading from Our Bodies February 12, 2015
  • Leading with Our Voice January 18, 2015
  • Being the Leader of Your Life December 6, 2014

Our clients say…

Your questions bring me to a place I hadn't expected but is where I wanted to end up. You've been exactly the right coach for me.

-  Ad Agency founder and former banking CMO

Read more client stories

Contact Us

Phone: (978) 790-3909
Email: hello@energyspringleadership.com

Serving clients in the greater Boston area and around the globe.

Publications

Business Insider
  • Here’s how to find a good mentor
ASTD.org
  • The Evolving Workplace: New (and Re-Emerging Trends)
  • Delivering Effective Performance Feedback
Training Magazine
  • Evolutionary Leadership: How to recognize and nurture it to avoid extinction

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2021 Energy Spring Leadership · All rights reserved · Website design by Danielle Baird