I was at an event last week that featured a panel of speakers. The event was held in a large room, full of windows and flooded with light. I couldn’t help but be drawn to a long shadow that was cast across the floor – a shadow of the panelists. Every single one looked identical. In the shadow you couldn’t see skin color, gender, religious beliefs, political affiliations, clothing style, sexual preference, or age. All you could see was a human form.
What a powerful illustration, I thought, in regard to how we view others, and in regard to how we lead with love. “Leading with Love” is essentially “Leading with Light.” It’s being bold enough to shine our own light and share that with others. And when we cast our light on others by treating them with kindness, patience, love, and the like, it becomes harder to see the differences between us. What’s cast off of a person when you shine your light on them is their human form.
It’s much harder to judge someone when all you can see is their humanness. It’s much harder to hate someone when all you can see is their humanness. It’s much harder to fight with someone when all you can see is their humanness. It’s much easier to love someone when all you can see is their humanness.
When we are stripped down to our humanness, or our core, we are much more similar than we are different. At our core, I think we are all really looking for the same things: to be loved, to belong, and to feel connected. And when we can see that first in others, before our differences, it’s a beautiful thing.
One of the most important components of ‘Leading with Love’ is the people that we interact with. When we choose to ‘Lead with Love’ we have three main audiences to consider: our self, our inner circle, and our outer circle.