Lead with Love – The Heart of Positive Leadership

My superpower is love.

I can’t help but love the people I work with, the customers I serve, and the mission I pour my energy into. This isn’t something I’ve developed as a tactic—it’s who I am. Over the years, people with kind intentions have warned me, “Don’t pour your heart into work. You’ll get hurt.” They’ve encouraged me to be more reserved, more distant, more protected. But I could never understand that logic. How could you give your best if your heart isn’t in it? How could you truly lead if you don’t care deeply about the people you lead—or the impact of the work you do?

Love, as I see it in leadership, is not a soft or sentimental feeling. It’s not romantic. It’s not passive. Love in leadership is a deep, courageous commitment. It’s a fierce kind of care that gives you the strength to hold others accountable, to challenge your team to grow, and to have the hard conversations others avoid. When you love your team, you don’t settle for their comfort; you invest in their transformation. When you love your customers, you don’t just sell to them; you serve them, protect their best interests, and strive to deliver real value. Love demands more from you. And in turn, it draws more from those you lead.

James Hunter, author of The Servant, once said, “Leadership is ultimately rooted in love, which is the willingness to work for the well-being of others.” I couldn’t agree more. Love drives us to think beyond ourselves. To lead not for status or recognition, but to make people’s lives better, whether they’re employees, clients, or community members. It shifts leadership from ego to empathy, from authority to service.

That shift is not always easy. Love makes you vulnerable. It exposes your heart, your hope, your humanity. And yes, it opens the door to disappointment. But it also opens the door to trust, loyalty, growth, and deeper connection. In a culture where many leaders are taught to guard their hearts, I believe we need more leaders who are willing to open theirs.

The Bible reminds us of the power of love in 1 Corinthians 13:2: “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge … but do not have love, I am nothing.” Leadership that lacks love might appear strong on the outside, but it’s empty on the inside. Without love, leadership becomes manipulation. With love, it becomes transformation.

One of the most powerful examples of leading with love is Abraham Lincoln. He led the United States through its darkest chapter—the Civil War—and did so not with bitterness, but with compassion. He visited wounded soldiers in hospitals, wrote personal letters of condolence to grieving families, and deeply understood the weight of every decision. After the war, when many expected him to retaliate, Lincoln called for healing and unity. In his second inaugural address, he spoke words that still echo today: “With malice toward none, with charity for all... let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds.” He surrounded himself with political rivals, not for convenience, but because he valued differing perspectives. He wasn’t interested in proving himself right—he was interested in doing what was right. He wasn’t soft. He was steady. And at his core, Lincoln led with love, for the country, for the people, and for the possibility of peace.

Love-based leadership is not a luxury; it’s a necessity; especially in times of change, challenge, or crisis. It’s what gives people hope when plans fail. It’s what motivates teams to stay when they could walk away. It’s what creates cultures where people feel safe, valued, and empowered to thrive.

So yes, love has a place in leadership. Not just in mission statements or team-building retreats, but in everyday decisions. In the way we speak to our colleagues. In the empathy we show to someone struggling. In the effort we make to build people up, even when it’s inconvenient.

I’ve learned that the best leadership doesn’t come from a place of control—it comes from a place of care. And that’s why, no matter what role I’m in or what challenge I face, I lead with love. I always will.

If you're ready to lead with more purpose, courage, and heart, we invite you to book a free discovery session.

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Because leadership isn’t just what you do—it’s who you are becoming.

With loving heart, 

Thanh