The Courage to Lead with Love

In my ongoing work to strengthen leaders' capacities to thrive in today's complex world, I had the privilege of talking with Keith Cocking , a seasoned leader at a global retail giant. What emerged from our conversation was both profound and refreshingly practical: At the heart of thriving leadership is the courage to lead with love—and it delivers results.

"When it comes to trying to be the best version of you and helping other people be the best version of them... those three words 'lead with love' are so powerful," Keith shared. "When you have that orientation to lead with love for yourself and for others, you show up differently."

Before you dismiss this as naïve, consider: Leading with love takes more courage than leading with fear. And it isn’t about lowering your standards. It’s about believing in people's potential and creating the situations and cultures where they can produce their highest work through their highest selves.

Embracing Abundance Over Scarcity

According to Keith, leading with love is rooted in a fundamental shift toward an abundance mindset, rather than one of scarcity. "There's a belief in abundance that there's enough for everybody, versus a scarcity where I have to hoard it for people like me who think like me," Keith said. This goes beyond material resources—in a world often divided, an abundance mindset enables leaders to care about the flourishing of all people, even those who see the world differently, and invest in their growth, wellbeing, and success.

Keith emphasized that this abundance mindset is a crucial evolution for leadership across organizations. It transforms the questions, 'How can we make the most profit?' to 'How can we make the most profit AND live a set of values? How can we make the most profit AND do so in partnership with the community? How can we make the most profit AND do so sustainably?'

This shift from 'either/or' to 'both/and' thinking is a profound transformation in our leadership ethos and actions; through it, we recognize that how we operate and the results we achieve are inseparable. The 'AND' is more than just a simple conjunction—it’s a deep commitment to creating value across business, social, and environmental dimensions, where purpose and profit work together to support and strengthen one another.

Bringing Humanity to Work—And to Our Conflicts

Perhaps one of the most touching parts of my conversation with Keith was his personal story about a difficult day at work. He was struggling with family challenges, and his leader simply said, "Keith, I just want to let you know I see you."

This moment of empathy made a world of difference. Keith shared, "… in some organizations, it can be 'keep the human stuff away.' I've seen a shift where it's more 'be human, and we're going to help you be human as well.'"

The spirit of human connection transforms how we relate to conflict, too, an ability many leaders seem to be losing in our polarized world. For Keith, the journey from being conflict-avoidant to conflict-capable is vital. "It's a skill, and it's something that you've got to practice, just like any other skill," he explained. The goal isn't comfortable conflict—which Keith says may be the wrong framing—but rather developing tolerance for the discomfort that comes with necessary conflict.

Keith’s approach has three steps that each of us can use in a conflict we face with someone:

1. First, acknowledge the discomfort openly, rather than pretending it doesn't exist.
2. Second, find the shared goal that transcends individual positions. As he puts it, "What's the goal above our differences that might unify us?"
3. Third, stay curious about the other person's perspective, rather than getting defensive.

I realize that these steps are a tall order when we’re feeling stressed (as many of us are during conflict), yet they create the conditions for breakthrough moments that can transform both the relationship and the results.

Embracing the Journey Forward

As our conversation closed, I was struck by how Keith's insights address the real challenges leaders face daily. Leading with love isn't just an abstract concept—it's a practical, powerful direction for fostering environments where both people and organizations can flourish.

At the end of the day, I believe the legacy we leave won’t be measured in quarterly reports or performance metrics. It will be measured in how we've helped others be effective, thrive, and grow, how we've met difficult conversations with generosity, and how we've built organizations that positively impact people’s lives and the planet.

Keith's wisdom offers a practical compass in our increasingly complex world: Lead with love. Embrace abundance. See the humanity in others. Find common purpose.

These aren't just nice ideas; they're the indispensable practices that will define the next generation of thriving organizations and communities—and the leaders who lead them.

 I am grateful to be on this journey with you, Renee

 Let's Connect

Wisdom Works’ Be Well Lead Well® newsletter features conversations, strategies, and resources to empower a global movement of change leaders committed to a world where everyone thrives. My sincere gratitude to global retail leader Keith Cocking for sharing his wisdom so generously.

I co-founded Wisdom Works 26 years ago with the belief that wellbeing and wisdom are the foundation of truly effective leadership. If you'd like to explore how these principles could transform your team or organization, reach out to me at renee@wisdom-works.com or visit wisdom-works.com.