...not a toggle switch

In contrast, we’ve seen leaders lose talent regularly and unnecessarily. In some cases these not-so-successful leaders matched their engagement and retention efforts to economic highs and lows. In the good times, when jobs were plentiful and talented people had choice, managers offered perks, praise, and promotions. In bad times, these leaders developed a cavalier attitude about their employees. Many felt—and some actually said—“Quit whining—be glad you have a job.” In every case, they failed to use the love ’em approach.

So what is the love ’em approach in a nutshell? It’s a mindset, a philosophy of dealing with people and a way of effectively managing them. Some people told us the word love would not be accepted in the business world. We tried, and we failed to find an alternative—another word that stood for so much. Love ’em leaders genuinely care about their people. They appreciate, nurture, grow, recognize, challenge, understand, and respect them. And they believe this is the job of being a leader.

In contrast, non–love ’em leaders are more apt to ignore their employees, tell them what to do and when to do it, expect obedience, fail to respect them, thank them, challenge them, care about them. Ultimately, they believe the love ’em approach is not part of their job.