Moshe’s Blog

Embracing Openness and Love in Leadership: CEO Alan Mulally’s Path to “Working Together” Success

Transparency & Trust: A Powerful Formula for Leadership Success

“When you create a psychologically safe environment, people will tell you the issues that need working on.” This is how Alan Mulally, the CEO renowned for saving both Boeing and Ford, described to me part of his “Working Together” system for success. And how incredibly rare it is for companies to operate this way.

In our collaboration brainstorming, we were discussing the synergy between his proven “Working Together” system, and the love-powered Amare leadership framework I detailed in my book The Amare Wave: Uplift Your Business by Putting Love to Work.

The essence of both my framework and Mulally’s “Working Together” system is to put people first. Before products, before profits, before everything else. Then give them tools to succeed, set clear expectations, and love them.

Imagine what your organization could accomplish if everyone felt seen, respected, and valued. Now, add to that a practical framework proven to harness the power of love for tangible and long-term success. Your organization would be unstoppable.

Helping leaders turn that potential into reality is how the Amare Way framework and “Working Together” system are so aligned. Consider your potential by reflecting on your own organizational culture for a moment:

Do secrets and withheld feedback stifle growth in your team or company?

How prepared are you to create a culture where people feel safe sharing challenging issues?

To really put people first, what fundamental changes would you need to make?

7 Amare Techniques for Cultivating Trust and Love in Your Leadership

1. Foster psychological safety. Create a team charter that explicitly expects and values openness, honesty, and mutual respect. Regularly check in with your team to gauge the psychological safety levels and adjust strategies as needed.

2. Be vulnerable yourself. Lead by example by sharing your own challenges, failures, and learning experiences. Show that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness.

3. Insist on transparency in communications. Implement regular ‘open forums’ where employees at all levels are encouraged to voice concerns, suggestions, and feedback without fear of reprisal.

4. Reinforce truth-telling. Actively recognize individuals who demonstrate courage in speaking up about lack of progress and challenges they’re facing.

5. Build a learning culture. Encourage a mindset where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities. Foster an environment where continuous improvement is part of your organizational DNA.

6. Celebrate success together. Ensure that successes, big and small, are acknowledged and celebrated as a team. This reinforces the value of working together and supports a culture of mutual respect and appreciation.

7. Lead with love. Incorporate love-powered leadership practices into your management style. This means leading with empathy, compassion, and genuine care for your team’s well-being. For inspiration, check out this manifesto for leading with love.

The journey to building a culture where people are prioritized, and where secrets don’t exist because transparency, trust, and love are at the core, is both challenging and rewarding. It requires a commitment to change, to doing things differently than they’ve been done before.

And as Mulally’s success demonstrates, the results can redefine what’s possible in business. Embrace these principles and actions, and see your organization become not just a place of work, but a thriving community united by purpose and respect. This is the power of Amare love-powered leaders and “Working Together.”

Lead with the Best Version of You & Your Team

I coach and advise executives and leadership teams on being the best version of themselves, through the Amare Way of love-powered leadership. For more information, contact me here.