With so much information about leadership, is there one key that sums it all up? I mean, there’s so much information out there, books and books about leadership principles, techniques and management styles.

One might become a little overwhelmed with so much things he/she has to learn in order to become a good leader. Surely, we don’t have to read all these books on leadership to become a good one, don’t we?

If you ask me, yes you don’t.

And on this Valentine’s Day, there’s one key that sums it all up: love.

Love? How can crummy romantic love be the answer to all leadership? How can the Hollywood love solve all leadership issues?

I’m not talking about that kind of love. I’m talking about the love that causes you to focus on the other party. True love is other-centered. Love is about putting your whole energies and focus to ensure another person’s well-being.

I’m not saying that all you have to do is to focus on another person and all will be okay, I’m saying it’s the most powerful starting point in understanding any kind of leadership principle or even in the execution of any new initiative.

The reason why most people might end up doing undesirable things in leadership often has to do with the opposite of love, that is, selfishness.

In the end, the desire for personal glory and riches causes a leader to lose his focus on the reason he is a leader, and hence he loses his authority and respect among his team.

Don’t be fooled, your team members are constantly discerning if you are acting out of your own interest or out of theirs. If they see that you are serving yourself and trying to make yourself look good, you immediately lose that kind of respect they might have had for you.

So as you lead today, think about this: Are you leading out of personal interests, or are you keeping your team members’ interest at the top of your mind? The best leaders always look beyond their own needs and try to meet the needs of others.

Most of all, remember that love is a choice. Whether you choose to focus on your personal needs or on the needs of others is a personal choice you make daily.

So in this Valentine’s Day, make a choice and choose love.

To your success,
Yihan