A friend recently asked whether I was familiar with the concept of Servant Leadership.

“I am,” I replied.

Servant Leadership is built upon principles such as listening, empathy, awareness, stewardship, and a commitment to helping others grow. He paused for a moment before saying something I’ll never forget.

“Your leadership goes beyond that. There’s an extra something that’s needed in business today.”

I knew immediately what he meant.

For years, I have tried to lead with something I no longer leave at the door when I begin my workday: love.

Not the sentimental kind. The intentional kind. The kind that genuinely wants the best for the people around us. The kind that asks, “What decision creates the greatest good for everyone involved?” The kind that remembers every organization, regardless of industry, is ultimately built on human beings.

When leaders consistently approach people this way, something remarkable begins to happen. People feel seen. They feel respected. They feel valued. Organizations become places where people want to work. They attract exceptional talent, retain great employees, build loyal customers, and develop leaders others genuinely want to follow.

Love has been misunderstood for far too long. It has become associated with softness—with greeting cards and heart-shaped boxes of candy. But real love is anything but soft.

It is fierce.

It motivates a parent to protect a child, a teammate to stay late to help a colleague, and a leader to make a difficult decision because it serves the organization rather than personal ambition. It challenges. It encourages. It forgives. It holds people accountable because it believes they are capable of more.

Perhaps that is why the word itself rarely appears in business conversations, even though its characteristics are everywhere.

We buy from companies we trust. We return to places where we feel valued. We become more engaged when leaders treat us with dignity, respect, encouragement, and compassion. Call those qualities whatever you like. I choose to call them expressions of love.

Ironically, they also happen to be remarkably good for business.

Love creates trust. Trust builds engagement. Engagement inspires commitment. Commitment builds extraordinary organizations.

Years ago, the friend who introduced this idea walked away from a successful corporate career in search of work that aligned more closely with his values. I understood exactly why because I’ve made similar decisions myself.

Today, whether I’m leading an initiative, developing a brand, coaching a leader, or simply interacting with another person, I try to begin with one question:

What response creates the greatest good for everyone involved?

I’ve yet to find a stronger place from which to lead.