We continue the Wednesday series based on Love Works by Joel Manby. In today’s post, Bill Grandi (The Cycleguy) and I are discussing the ninth chapter (Dedicated: Stick To Your Values In All Circumstances). Check out Bill’s take by clicking here.
As a reminder, Manby’s premise is that leadership is best when it comes from a position of agape love based on I Corinthians 13 (“…[love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”). Since I already read the book, I thought it would be interesting to highlight some of the sentences I underlined when I read the book initially:
- “One of the primary roles of a leader is to give hope.” (p. 150)
- “A leader needs to clearly communicate how the organization will win in a competitive marketplace and then execute that plan.” (p. 150)
- “We need to care HOW people achieve their tasks, not only IF they achieve them.” (p. 150)
- “‘Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic.’” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (p. 153)
- “Love and power must be harnessed together to get the most important things done.” (p. 153)
- “The USE of power need not become the ABUSE of power.” (p. 154)
- “Leading with love is more important than the temporary approval of your coworkers.” (p. 155)
- “Many organizations talk about values, but few truly integrate those values into how leaders are evaluated and chosen and how organizational results are measured.” (p. 156)
- “It’s critical to define the values that will drive our lives…. What kind of person do we want to be? What values will we uphold? What kind of integrity will we have when nobody is watching? How do we want to treat others regardless of how they treat us?” (p. 156-157)
- “It’s one thing to TALK about values like leading with love, but it’s another thing to DELIVER on those values, especially in tough times.” (p. 164)
When we think of dedication, we typically think of someone who is committed to someone or to an organization. We think of someone who comes in early and stays late. We think of team members who consistently go the extra mile. Most managers I’ve encountered in the corporate world would be considered dedicated by this definition.
Joe Manby takes it to another level with his discussion in chapter 9. According to Manby, a dedicated leader is someone who leads out of solid values. There are several leaders I’ve encountered in the corporate world that lead out of a value-focused position, and there are many leaders who don’t seem to be concerned with values as much as climbing over whoever to get to the top and crushing the competition.
I thoroughly appreciate Manby’s take on power and love. Leaders can get a bad reputation when they misuse their power. I’m convinced that a love-based, value-focused use of power will not only improve leader reputation, it will lead to the overall enhancement and advancement of the organization, the employees, the customers, the stockholders, and the community at large.
When you and I hear the word “dedicated”, we must get past the hard-working, tunnel-visioned definition. Starting today, let’s define “dedicated” to mean so much more.
Over the next two weeks, Bill and I will conclude our exploration of love based leadership. I hope you’ll read along, jump into the comments, and maybe even change the way you lead. Consider getting a copy of Love Works for yourself, and see how this book might change you and your leadership.
What is one thing you can do differently this week to become a more dedicated leader? How have you been led with dedicated, love-based leadership?
