What does that phrase mean to you?  It’s the mantra of the Union League of Philadelphia, which was formed in 1862 to support preservation of the United States of America and the determined efforts of President Abraham Lincoln.  156 years later, the leadership mission lives on.

Beyond the compelling history encapsulated here, those four words capture a vision that applies equally well to other pursuits in life.  If you truly love something enough to expose yourself to the risks of achieving it, you will be willing to assume a leadership role in its pursuit.  Nothing worth having has come without accepting the risks associated with it.

Here’s a modern spin for your consideration: “Love of People Leads”.  If you truly love people, those you work with and those you serve, that feeling leads to exceptional effort.  It separates the folks who are just doing their assigned tasks from those inspired people who are creating genuine value in their client’s minds.  The results are the stuff of which legends are made.

I’m not talking about the kind of emotional love we feel for a significant other.  I’m referring to the type of love that Pat Williams explains in his book, Leadership Excellence: The Seven Sides of Leadership for the 21st Century:

This type of love — of deep, genuine concern — cannot be faked.  You feel it or you don’t.  When it is real, this type of leadership is transformational.  It changes things for the better.
 
People are the foundation of Success. It’s People First, Purpose Second, then Details Always. That’s where the Love of People Leads.
 
Tempus Maximize!