Love & Leadership: The Paradox We Must Embrace

By Susan Taylor, as originally posted in LinkedIn

How do we choose love in a world that feels defined by division, fear, and uncertainty?

For centuries, leadership has been framed through the lens of power—the ability to control, to conquer, to dominate. In times of crisis, we often look to the warrior archetype: the resolute, disciplined fighter who stands firm in the storm. But as I recently explored this idea in Dialogue with a group of leaders, a question emerged that has stayed with me ever since:

What if love and leadership are not separate forces? What if we are called to be warriors of love, especially in these moments that test us most?

Carl Jung once noted that love and power are not opposites but interdependent. “Where love stops, power begins,” he wrote. “One is the shadow of the other.” Martin Luther King Jr. echoed this idea, warning that power without love becomes reckless and abusive, while love without power is ineffective and anemic.

And yet, we are often asked to choose. We are taught that love is soft, and power is strong. Love is sentimental, and leadership is pragmatic. Love yields, and power commands.

But what if these are false choices?

I believe they are…

If love is not “soft” and power is not “hard,” what does this mean for leadership? It means that when love is fully present, power does not need to be a force of domination. Love leads naturally, harmonizing relationships and fostering connection. But when power takes precedence—when control, ambition, and force override love—then love recedes, and power without love becomes intimidation.

The greatest leaders of our time have not led through dominance alone. They have led through a fierce, unwavering love—one that is bold enough to take a stand yet compassionate enough to remain open.

This is not just a theory; it is a lived experience. In my own journey, I have felt the tension between love and power—the pull between compassion and strength, between yielding and standing firm. I have seen how love without power struggles to create change, and how power without love causes harm, no matter how noble the intention.

And what if we don’t have to choose? What if leadership in the 21st century requires something different—an integration of love and power as a single, unified force?

This idea is not just a passing thought for me. It is something I am deeply exploring—both in my work and in an upcoming project that I believe will resonate with those who feel called to lead from both heart and strength.

If you have ever wrestled with the balance between love and leadership—if you have longed to lead with both power and wisdom—then I invite you to reflect on this with me.

What would change in your life, your leadership, and your impact if love and power were no longer in “opposition”? What could be possible if you embraced them as one?

Let’s step forward as warriors of love in a world that needs it more than ever…