Ever feel like you’re walking a tightrope between driving profits and doing right by your team, your customers, and the planet? It’s not always easy, no doubt. And it’s exactly what the best leaders aim to master. 

Yes, you want healthy profits—let’s be real, you can’t keep the lights on without them—but not at the expense of everything else. As serial entrepreneur and Vital Farms founder Matt O’Hayer points out, it’s all about balance.

Mixed Messages: What Are We Really Rewarding?

Let’s face it, business culture can be a walking contradiction. On one hand, we applaud companies for maximizing shareholder value. On the other, we criticize them (hello, Big Tech!) when they get too big or too powerful, i.e. excelling at exactly what the culture has rewarded them for: dominance and growth.

It’s a mixed message that reflects a larger issue in business: Are we cultivating a culture of ruthless expansion, or can we reward companies for balancing profits, ethics, and meeting the needs of all stakeholders—employees, customers, communities, and shareholders alike? (Spoiler alert: I believe we can and I wrote a whole book about why and how!)

Take a moment for yourself and consider:

• How important is profit to you in the grand scheme of things?

• How does the relentless pressure to make more money impact your personal and organizational values?

• Will you transform the mixed message into an opportunity for innovation and ethical leadership within your organization?

Why “Business as War” No Longer Works

The old “Business as War” mindset—conquer, crush, and compete—is just not sustainable. Imagine instead a world where business is not a battlefield but a force for unity and goodness. 

Companies like USAA and Patagonia are living proof that businesses can thrive without sacrificing their souls on the altars of profit and growth. They’ve turned the “business as love” philosophy into a successful operational model, proving that ethical practices and profitability can go hand in hand. 

You can be a highly successful leader who understands that success comes not from crushing competition, but that you win by creating ecosystems where everyone thrives. Check out seven guiding principles here.

Finding the Sweet Spot: Profits with Principles

So how do you pivot from “Business as War” to “Business as Love” while still keeping the lights on? Here’s how you can start:

1. Keep profits in perspective. Profits are not why you are in business. Focus on value creation for all, and profits will naturally follow.

2. Expand your definition of success. Complete this sentence five times: Success is _____________. Consider things like fulfillment, being named a “best place to work,” positive environmental impact, etc.

3. Lead with integrity. Foster a workplace culture where doing the right thing matters as much as making money. Make sure your people feel valued, heard, and seen.

4. Ask the big question. Before jumping into aggressive profit-making strategies, ask yourself and your team how they’ll affect your brand, your people, and the world in 10 years.

5. Align your personal values with your business. Ensure that your leadership reflects who you are and the kind of world you want to help create.

Take on the Leadership Challenge

Here’s the challenge: Can we, as leaders, create a business culture that rewards balance—where profits, people, and the planet coexist harmoniously? Absolutely. And the organizations that master this balance will not only survive but thrive in the years to come.

As Plato said, “What is honored in a country will be cultivated there.” The same is true for companies. If we honor ruthless competition, we’ll get more of it. If we honor meeting the needs of all stakeholders, we cultivate a culture that benefits everyone.

So yes, go after profits, but don’t forget that people and purpose are part of the equation, too. Keep leading the Amare Way, where love-powered leadership brings a balance of fulfillment and profits into your success story.

Transform Your Leadership Team 

I coach and advise executives and leadership teams on identifying and being the best and most effective versions of themselves through the Amare Way of love-powered leadership (suffering optional!). If this stirs something within you, please listen. Contact me here.

Today’s Amare Wave Wednesday Quote

“In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of principle, stand like a rock.” 

—Thomas Jefferson

Click here and read more Amare Wave Wednesday newsletters on related topics:

Do NOT Negotiate Your Non-Negotiables! How to Stay True to Your Word as an Amare Love-Powered Leader

Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: It’s Your Leadership Lifeline

Pain in Leadership is Inevitable. Suffering is Optional.

I Love My Life—Even When It’s Not Perfect: Thriving as a Leader Through It All 

One Microsoft: How Great Leaders Turn “Oneness” Initiatives Into Genuine Unity