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Working in leadership development and helping people change and grow, despite having a practical focus, I have become increasingly interested in the notion of love. And I’m curious –  as we go about the business of creating and encouraging change, what might happen if we put love at the heart of our practice. In leadership and in organisational development, we often ask ‘what’s the difference that could make the difference?’ Could love – whatever that might look like – be the difference?

My role is to enable people and organisations to flourish, from both a performance and a wellbeing perspective. In my practice, I draw on theories and frameworks, the principles of behavioural change and the discipline of intentional practice, positive psychology, the philosophy of Buddhism and the psychology of Jung … and also love.

So, in a series of blog posts, I’m going to explore the phrase ‘work as love in action’, a phrase I first came across at Findhorn many years ago. Over the coming year, I’ll be:

• Exploring  what we mean by love, especially in the workplace, where using the word appears to be almost taboo. What are its composite parts – compassion, empathy, connection, service, altruism…? What else might it mean?
• Sharing my learning as I read widely in the fields of leadership and neuroscience, personal and social change, spirituality, altruism and a lot more. What can I learn there about love that might be relevant for us in organisations?
• Introducing you – through interviews and guest blogs – to leaders and OD practitioners who are already working in this way and who are getting great results
• Suggesting examples of what mainstream and also radical leadership and OD practice might look like if love is the main driver. I’ll be getting really practical
• Sharing examples from my own practice as a coach, developer and consultant as I endeavour to put love at the heart of my practice. What enables me, what hinders me, what happens if …?
• …and inviting you to join me by commenting, trying some things out, sharing your own examples and stories, and pointing me in the direction of other likeminded people. (What could we create together?)

So sign up here for my posts, and explore for yourself whether this difference could really make a difference.