With healthcare struggling with workforce shortages, burnout, and rising demands on teams—effective leadership has never been more critical. These pressures have tested even the strongest organizations, revealing a need for leadership approaches that not only address operational demands but also strengthen the human connections at their core. This type of leadership is essential for improving retention and attracting the talent needed to sustain healthcare teams.  

In my years working in healthcare leadership, one truth has consistently stood out: leadership is as much about relationships as it is about strategy. Strong relationships are the foundation of effective teams, and at the heart of those relationships is love. Yes, love. It may seem unconventional to talk about love in the context of healthcare leadership, but the principles behind it are powerful and transformative.

Love in leadership is not about sentimentality, rather, it focuses on creating a culture where trust, respect, and connection thrive. When we lead with love, we create environments where people feel valued, supported, and inspired to give their best. 

For healthcare leaders, this means showing up for our teams with empathy, integrity, and a commitment to their well-being. It involves modeling the very qualities we hope to see reflected throughout our organizations.

Here are a few ways to bring love into leadership, drawn from both my personal experience and working with groups dedicated to advancing this concept:

1. Listen with Intention:
   As leaders, one of the most powerful ways to show love is by listening with intention. This means dedicating time to understand people’s concerns, ideas, and challenges. Effective listening goes beyond words, focusing on what matters most to the individual. When people feel understood, they feel valued, and that sense of value is the foundation of trust and engagement.
2. Prioritize Well-Being:
   Healthcare can be an emotionally and physically demanding field, and the well-being of our teams must be a priority. This involves more than providing resources and focuses on creating a culture where people feel safe to share their needs and seek support. When we lead with love, we champion mental, emotional, and physical health—not as a luxury, but as a necessity.
3. Express Gratitude:
   In the hustle of healthcare, it’s easy to overlook the power of a simple “thank you.” Yet gratitude can be transformative. Regularly acknowledging the hard work and dedication of your team builds morale and strengthens bonds. It’s a small act with a big impact.
4. Lead by Example:
   Leadership is defined by the actions we take, not the titles we hold. When we model respect, empathy, and compassion, we set the tone for our teams. People take cues from their leaders, and what we demonstrate in our behavior often becomes the cultural norm.

Beyond just a feel-good idea; incorporating love into leadership is a meaningful approach that strengthens teams and produces better outcomes. Research in organizational behavior and psychology highlights that leading with love increases trust, reduces burnout, and enhances collaboration—all critical factors in today’s healthcare landscape.

I’ve had the privilege of speaking about these concepts to healthcare leaders across the country. The feedback is always the same: the message resonates because it’s real. It taps into what makes us human and reminds us why we entered this field in the first place—to care, to connect, and to make a difference.

The idea of leading with love offers a transformative lens for how we approach the work we do. In a profession centered on care, there is nothing more fitting than leading with love.

Given the current challenges impacting healthcare, building stronger connections and trust is essential. Leading with love provides a way to address these struggles by creating resilient, compassionate teams that feel valued and supported. 

Let’s reflect on how we can all bring a little more love into the way we lead.