Odo Nnyew Fie Kwan
(African Adinkra):
Power of Love
Odo Nnyew Fie Kwan is a West African Adinkra symbol meaning “Love never loses its way home” and is a symbol of the Power of Love and that those led by love will never lose their way. Those who lead in this manner are grounded, morally self-assured and are guided by a stable inner compass. These leaders also serve as guiding lights for their employees using coaching and mentoring skills to build autonomy and help develop their careers.
The Pali word Mettā is a universal altruistic attitude of love and friendliness that is unselfish and all-embracing.
Through metta one refuses to be offensive and renounces bitterness, resentment and animosity of every kind, developing instead a mind of friendliness, accommodativeness and benevolence which seeks the well-being and happiness of others. Leaders demonstrate Mettā love by genuinely putting the best interest of others before their own through expressions of loving-kindness and good will. They engage in warm-hearted ways that grow through relationship building with practice and overcomes all social, religious, racial, political and economic barriers.
Mettā (Pali):
Benevolence,
Loving-Kindness,
Friendliness,
Good Will, and
Active Interest in Others
The Eban Adinkra translates to mean 'fence', though in the case of this symbol, it represents more the safety and security provided by the home. The fence symbolically separates and secures the family from the outside. Because of the security and the protection that a fence affords, the symbol is also associated with the security and safety one finds in love. Leaders who lead from this ethos create psychologically safe environments that heartedly welcomes employees to the team, creates a sense of belonging and fosters interactions that enable employees to be their best selves and thrive.
Eban (African Adinkra):
Love and Security provided by the Family
Love in this study is defined as a character strength, rather than an emotion. It is the degree to which a leader values close relationships, build that closeness in a genuine way, and understand, as well as practice the reciprocity of extending love and willingness to accept love from others.
While the English language has only one word for love, Sanskrit has ninety-six, ancient Persian eighty, and ancient Greek seven. Likewise, there are a variety of symbols other than the traditional heart that represent different expressions of love. These Pali and African Adinkra symbols represent meaningful ways leaders can effectively and appropriately express love in the workplace. Pali is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent and is the sacred language of Theravāda Buddhism. Adinkra symbols are believed to originate in Gyaman, a former African kingdom in today's Côte D'Ivoire.
In stark contrast to preferred synonyms such as compassion, altruism, empathy, respect and care, the literature is generally silent on the subject of love as a substantive topic for scholarship in contemporary leadership and organizational studies (Clingan, 2015; Farber S. , 2020; Klemich & Klemich, 2019; Argandona, 2011).
There is obviously a perceived risk for scholars to tread down this path as Byrne-Jimenez and Yoon (2019) indicate, “even to write in a scholarly journal about ‘love’ makes some uncomfortable.” When examining love within an organizational leadership context, it is critical to make a clear etymological distinction in order to avert the natural tendency to assign its meaning to an emotion or feeling versus a virtue or strength of character. Peck (1978) beautifully expressed that, “Love is the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth… Love is as love does. Love is an act of will — namely, both an intention and an action. Will also implies choice. We do not have to love. We choose to love.”
The decision to lead with a love ethic in present times is certainly one that a leader would have to make with much deliberation, courage and intention. “Those of us who have already chosen to embrace a love ethic,” writes Hooks (2000, p. 133), “allowing it to govern and inform how we think and act, know that when we let our light shine, we draw to us and are drawn to other bearers of light.” In the era of unprecedented VUCA, love is beginning to emerge as a cornerstone strength for 21st century leadership(Khandelwal & Mehta, 2018; Anderson, Caldwell, & Barfus, 2019; Kouzes & Posner, 2017).
Farber (2020) asserts in his recently published book that, “love is not only appropriate in the context of business. It’s also the foundation of great leadership, and, therefore, it’s the very foundation of a thriving, competitive enterprise.” The practical application of love as a character strength within an organizational setting activates the power of human connection and elevates the overall collective value and respect for humanity – attributes of a positive leader. When these types of generative dynamics unfold at optimal levels within an organization, the aim of POS to cultivate “extraordinary states in individuals, groups and organizations” can be realized (Dutton, Glynn, & Spreitzer, 2005). VIA defines Love character strength as the degree to which you value closeness in relationships with people, and contribute to that closeness in a warm and genuine way. Love in this manner is often described as a precious, unselfish gift of oneself for the other person’s benefit, that when combined with humility and a sense of duty generates a sense of trust and commitment (Fromm, 2013; Clingan, 2015; Caldwell & Rolf, 2010). It is through this contextual lens that Love will be defined and explored in the proposed research study.