I am currently teaching at the Wharton School of Business as a guest instructor for an executive program serving senior leaders in the financial industry. Between sessions this week, someone who had been in my class last year stopped me in the hallway. He wanted to share what happened after I told that group something I have been saying more directly as my career has progressed: that love is an essential part of effective leadership. He took the idea back to his team, the word love became part of how his people talked to each other and treated one another, and both engagement and collaboration improved.
The love I am referring to is moral love, which centers on caring about your people as whole human beings.
That means listening in a way that makes them feel understood, giving credit generously, keeping your word, and holding people to a high standard because you believe in their potential. That last point is where many leaders hesitate because they struggle with the balance of love and accountability. It is the dichotomy of being nice versus being kind.  A nice leader sidesteps difficult conversations to avoid discomfort, but avoiding them sets people up to fail. Being kind means caring enough to not let that happen.
A few months ago, I wrote about love and kindness in leadership, and the response surprised me.
The post drew more engagement than nearly anything else I have published. Many leaders said it captured something they had long believed but never quite said out loud.
Many people are stressed and anxious, and your team is no exception. Knowing that their leader genuinely cares about them matters more than many leaders realize.
Does your team feel that from you?
At the end of each year, I review what I see working and failing across organizations I advise worldwide.
In this video, I share what deserves real attention in 2026 and what most leaders are over-investing in. If you are already executing on this year’s plan, this will help you confirm you are focused on the right things.
