Love and…Business?

The latest by Marcus Buckingam is both confirmatory and inspirational

Earlier this month, Meta Platforms announced layoffs impacting ~10% of its workforce, alongside plans to redirect investment toward AI. These decisions are part of business reality. I’ve been part of similar decisions myself over a long HR career.

At the same time, I had started reading Design Love In: How to Unleash the Most Powerful Force in Business by Marcus Buckingham. Its premise is that experiences drive behaviors, and behaviors drive outcomes.

Buckingham explaines that when people describe experiences that lead to their best work, they often use a simple word: love. I love my team. I love that my input is valued. I love what I get to do. And so on…

Leaders can deliberately design how work is experienced: How a candidate is treated in the recruiting process, whether hired or not. How someone is welcomed and set up to succeed on their first day. How a manager listens and supports work progression in a 1:1. These experiences matter.

In my view, the Meta moment and others like it create a real test—and opportunity—for leadership.

Leaders who intentionally “design love in” to day-to-day experiences build organizations where people are seen, valued, and supported—and will be the ones people choose—and choose to stay with.

I’m finding both confirmation and inspiration in this book and practical applications that will build on my coaching and corporate client work.