Three Minute Leadership: The Power of Love
To: The Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning
In a recent SmartBrief Leadership article, 21st-Century Leadership Learnings from 2,500 Years Ago, Deb Mills-Scofield, writes about the virtues that Aristotle suggested as a guide to a “happy life”: courage, faith, hope, love, prudence and temperance. Her words on Aristotle’s definition of love captured me: “ Aristotle defined love in three ways: Eros (passion), Philos (friendship) and Agape (sacrifice, servant leadership).” She related them to their application in business as: “Voice of the Customer,” “Voice of the Employee” and “Voice of the Community.”
The metaphor is powerful and poignant, for it is love in its deepest and most beautiful sense that inspires great leaders: their love for what they do (passion), their caring, valuing and respect for whom they serve (friendship) and their service to others in helping them find their fullest potential to achieve their own greatness sacrifice and servant leadership). Saint Augustine wrote: “Love is the beauty of the soul.” It is in being love, that doing flows so beautifully and naturally. We learn the joy and exhilaration of its power and inspiration from these words.
“Where there is love there is life.” Mahatma Gandhi, Indian leader (Eros)
“Love is like a friendship caught on fire.” Bruce Lee, actor (Philos)
“Love is life. And if you miss love, you miss life.” Leo Buscaglia, author (Eros)
“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” Mother Teresa (Agape)
“Love is a better teacher than duty.” Albert Einstein (Agape)
“The first duty of love is to listen.” Paul Tillich, philosopher and theologian (Philos)
“Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.” H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (Philos)
“Love possesses not nor will it be possessed, for love is sufficient unto love.” Khalil Gibran (Eros)
“For true love is inexhaustible; the more you give, the more you have.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author (Eros)
“Love is all we have, the only way that each can help the other.” Euripides, philosopher, (Agape)
May you fill your life and the lives of others with love. In all that you are and do, remember the words of Mother Teresa: “Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do… but how much love we put in that action.” Being love, then doing. Life is all so very simple when there is love.
Have a beautiful day and a magnificent week!!!
- Brian Mitchell’s First Group Mentoring Session – Group 5, Session 1
- Noel Girgenti’s First Group Mentoring Session – Group 8, Session 1