Leaders Love

As we stood in line, our faces looking strait forward, scared to blink for fear of what might happen. Motionless in the hot Kentucky sun, three of the biggest men I had every seen came walking toward the group of  young boys from around the country.

Then the shouting started, "Grab your bags, get on the bus, move it! Move it! You are moving to slow!"

This was the first day of my Army Bootcamp. Those three Drill Sergeants barking orders. Each of them over six feet tall and ripped with muscles. I can't remember their names, I just remember they yelled a lot that day.

But one Drill Sergeant I do remember was maybe 5'6, DS Valdez.  He never screamed or yelled, he would simply walk up to you and whisper in your ear.... "I know you can do better than that, I believe you can do better than that, you are going to do better than that, and I'm going to help you. Get down and give me some push-ups." Then he would reach down as you were doing those push-ups and say "I care to much about you to let you fail."

In his book Love Works, Joel Manby makes the case that you can be a leader that loves, shows compassion and respects those that you lead. A former auto industry executive, Joel recounts a time in the book when his boss called him up on Easter Sunday, demanded he get on a plane and travel to Europe to meet with him. Joel says when he arrived, the boss embarrassed him in front of his peers because sells were slow in his division. That particular quarter Joel experienced low numbers for the first time in his career.

But for Joel, what was more disheartening, was the way his boss treated him. Joel says he decided that day, never to be a leader like that, and that it had to be a better way to lead and get results.

I whole heartily agree. If you ever get the opportunity to lead a person, team, or  organization, it should always be deemed a privilege and not a right. The world renowned leadership expert Dr. John C. Maxwell says  "Most leaders never leave level one of leadership, which is people follow you because of your position or title."  In other words the only reason they are listening to you is because they have to, not because they feel like you have something to say.

I don't know Joel personally, but the wealth of knowledge he shares in the book is priceless. If you ever wondered if there is another way to lead other than authoritative, micro-management or bullying, this is a great book.

Joel makes the case, that showing compassion doesn't mean you neglect standards or lead from the clouds and over look poor performance. But because you love and genuinely care for people, you will help them to become better, which is the role of leadership.

If you really want to see how to lead correctly and become an effective leader, read this book, Love Works by Joel Manby.

Dr. Will Moreland
Author, Genius Potential
America's #1 Leadership Life Trainer 

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