LOVE As a Management Practice: The Motivating Power of Love at Work

by John Earl Johnson

You hear of someone talking about “love” in the marketplace. What comes to mind? One of the first things might be romantic relationships between coworkers, which can prove troublesome in many ways. John Earl Johnson is a strong advocate of love in the workplace, but in a very different sense.In Love As a Management Practice Johnson explores ways in which the motivating power of love found in 1 Corinthians 13, the so-called “love chapter” of the Bible, can be applied in leadership and management settings. Drawing on 60 years of experience in the business world, in marketing, advertising, management and consulting, Johnson believes love as a management practice can be a game-changer for individuals and corporations when expressed and practiced as God intended. Each chapter includes exercises and questions for individual reflection and application. A small group study guide is included in the appendix and provides for meaningful discussion, application, and mutual accountability. In the end, Johnson is convinced that you will discover a simple Love never fails.

74 pages, Paperback

Published December 18, 2019

Reviews

[John Ready Reader One · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is designed to be gone through one chapter at a time. And you respond, of course John all books are that way. I mean to say that it is like a text book. Some would call it a devotional. You consume a chapter at a time, individually or in a group like I did, and then discuss and work towards applying the principles in daily life and or work. This devotional is based off of a particular part of the Christian bible.

[Scott Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a business consultant and follower of Jesus for 40 years, I find Johnson's perspective to be excellent. Too often we read 1 Corinthians 13--the love chapter--only at weddings, and thus, it has the connotation of only applying to marriages and relationships. However, there's nothing in Corinthians to limit its scope to marriage. Business owners and managers are not exempt from the scripture's dictates. In fact, if Johnson had included the first few verses of 1 Cor. 13, he could have paraphrased them in a way like this: If I score mega-sales, but have not love, I'm running the wrong race; if I motivate people to excel, but have not love, I'm a manipulator; if I work long hours and invest all of my personal assets in the business, but have not love, it is only for my glory and not His.

Too often I have seen business owners who claim their business is dedicated to the Lord, they espouse that the business is their ministry, and yet when they fail to exhibit 1 Cor. 13 and Galatians 5 (fruit of the spirit) behaviors--patience, kindness, etc.--their testimony is damaged. We too often fall into old business habits, practices, traditions of how a boss should operate in order to get results. We fail to heed the Master's example of how to develop and coach a team (albeit 12 against the world) on how to turn the world upside down.