The essence of leadership is additive.
Leaders who love add much more than they subtract. A team grows in strength, confidence and competency when led with love.
The apostle Paul said, “Love never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8), but “if there is knowledge it shall vanish” (v. 8b).
Of course, knowledge can add to the growth of a team. Most of us are knowledge workers. We spend significant time in life either gaining or dispensing knowledge.
Problems enter in because knowledge puffs up. Knowledge doesn’t do the puffing, the leader does.
But a loving leader engages knowledge to add heat and light.
We help others come to a knowledge of the truth with light. Heat is added to build intensity and passion.
As a leader loves, she looks at most situations to determine the needs of the team. Should she add light to the situation? Is the team missing something?
Perhaps the leader determines that the team needs more intensity in work effort to achieve important goals. The addition of heat to a situation, coupled with training, adds value to each teammate. The residue of heat should be increased passion to perform. Heat should never threaten or diminish the worker.
Love leaders add light and heat with the proper ratio and timing.
“And when a south wind blows, you say, ‘There will be heat,’ and it happens” (Luke 12:55).
