What's Love Got To Do With It?

Image by Thai Jasmine via Flickr

Steve Farber, author of The Radical Leap and The Radical Edge was in town this week, talking with business leaders about his newest book, Greater Than Yourself. This is one passionate guy!

In fact, for Steve, passion is at the very epicenter of leadership.  One of his key principles is "cultivate love." Love for what you're doing, what you're leading. If you're passionate about what you're doing, you're more likely to "generate energy," Steve says, and "inspire audacity." And if that passion is authentic and a reflection of who you really are at work, great things happen. People jump on-board and help make your vision a reality. 

I remember Jim Autry, executive at Meredith Corp., in the 1980s saying, "if you're in management and don't like people, get out of management."

Rudy Giuliani said of leadership, if you don't love people, do something else."

Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines said, "I would far rather have a business led by love than by fear."

"Be madly in love with all the people you are leading," said Ken Blanchard, co-author of  The One Minute Manager.

What's your take on this? Is being that passionate about what you're doing and caring that much about who you're leading realistic? And necessary? Farber says if you're not fully and passionately throwing yourself into the role of leader, then you're a "poser." A pretend-to-be leader. What's your take on how many posers there are out there, versus passionate leaders?

Comments

[Pete Jones - Desmoinesisnotboring.com]

Shirley, I was beside myself that I missed Mr. Farber. Tim Johnson got me onto Farbers work during my studies at Drake, I really enjoyed the message...to love what you are doing and lead with passion. I believe you have to exude the passion Farber describes to truly be transparent and not be a poser. If you are transparent and your staff can see it will go a million times farther than if they think you are fake and a poser. I further realized that management and leadership are two completely separate things, there are tons of managers in our world, but not that many truly great leaders. I aspire to be the later, at least in the context of my world.

[Shirley Poertner]

Pete-I can read the passion between the lines of your comment. You're on
your way to being that leader you envision. Learn on! Shirley

Shirley Poertner

A Principal Associate of

Poertner Consulting Group LLC

2800 University Avenue #150

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