The Love That Turns the Impossible Into Possible

Why love is not romanticism but practical power

I believe “love” is an essential capability for leaders.
You might wonder, “Why talk about love in the context of work and career?” But I want to talk about how love isn’t romantic fluff — it’s practical, and it’s powerful.

Love makes the impossible possible.

Every human being wants to be loved. Giving and receiving love is in our nature. When we’re in love, we say and do things we wouldn’t normally do. Love changes people. And this is as true at home and among friends as it is at work.

1. Love changes you.
2. Love changes others.
3. Love changes teams.
4. Love changes the world — maybe.

1. Love changes you.

Above all, love changes you first.

As I said, when you love, your words and actions change.
You want to know the person more deeply. You genuinely cheer them on and support them. You naturally act with consideration. You are the first to change.

Love gives you the will to change, to try, to keep working at it — though actually changing yourself is still the hardest thing. : )

Last year, while deep in coaching practice, I tried to change my team and teammates at work. It didn’t go well. Coaching inside the company was different from a coach–client relationship outside. I went to a coach with far more experience and shared my struggle. She said:

“Don’t try to change someone else. Change yourself.”

It felt like a slap. I realized, “I haven’t really been thinking about changing myself. I’ve just been trying to change others.”

Then she added:

“If you change, people will come to you — curious — without you trying to change them.”

From that moment, I revised my personal mission.

It used to be “I want to be fulfilled by helping others.”
Now it’s “I want to be fulfilled by helping myself and others — moment by moment.”

Love changes you.

2. Love changes others.

Love also changes the other person.

Parental love can feel so infinite that we almost take it for granted. So let’s think of the love between friends, partners, and within families.

The more love you give, the more love comes back.

You express respect and care — in words and actions. And love deepens.

What about at work?

Do you still feel, “Getting things done comes first — people and love can wait”?

At a previous job, I fell into a slump while working remotely.
Different place, different time zone, different culture — it got lonely, and focusing felt like a constant battle with myself. I was holding on from morning until late night — inefficiently and endlessly. What kept me from collapsing were my manager’s praise, genuine concern, and emotional support — and the CEO’s support for my personal growth, not just my output.

When they said my happiness and rest mattered more than staying up to finish something, I felt both grateful and apologetic. Receiving such trust and care, I slept well that night — then worked even harder afterward to live up to that trust.

Small messages can also change me — even if the sender doesn’t remember it now.

After receiving a note from a developer I worked with, I found myself writing product specs with extra care, just to support them better.

Recognition matters, but so does honest, painful feedback.

A leader once told me:
“You have more ambition than your skill.”

It was a shock.

But the he also said:
“Some of the best decisions I made here were spotting you and bringing you in.”

If I had only heard the first comment, it might have crushed me. But knowing the feedback came from sincerity and care, I became grateful for it over time. I’m still working to become someone whose skill matches my ambition. (Of course, at the time I bristled inside. Haha. It takes time to lower my defenses and fully accept feedback.)

These many moments of recognition, encouragement, and caring feedback from colleagues changed me.

They made me try harder, study more, focus deeper — and ultimately, get things done.

That’s where I felt the power of love. And it’s the kind of power I want to share.

3. Love changes team.

When love changes you and others, it changes the team.

One day, our team needed to write prompts for an AI summary feature. It wasn’t clear whose job it was — designer, frontend, backend — no one had explicit ownership. I was busy with something else, and our developer kindly iterated on the prompts multiple times. I later took over and finished it. No one said, “That’s not my job.” It just felt natural to do it together.

At a recent company event, we all lined up at different food stalls and regrouped at the tables. A few teammates arrived early, waited in line for 30–40 minutes, and nobody had their food before the rest of us. They waited — hungry — so we could start together. Maybe it sounds small, but to me, that’s consideration and sacrifice. That’s a team attitude.

Also, this is a message I received when I left a previous company:

Though we’ll no longer work together, I know we’ll stay in touch. You were our Chief Happiness Officer, and that won’t be forgotten.

It’s the highest compliment I could receive. : )

Wherever I work, I want to be the kind of person who receives a message like this at the end.

Love transforms individuals — and eventually, it transforms teams.

4. Love changes the world. Maybe.

I believe it does, even if I haven’t fully experienced it yet.

People and teams like this build companies — and, in the end, they change the world.

Someday, when the time comes, I want to help change the world, too.

This is the power of love.

Love isn’t romanticism — it’s a practical force.

I hope more leaders choose to use it.

And I hope I never forget it.

P.S.
If you’re reading this, I’m so grateful to the first CPO, CTO, and CEO in my heart who taught me the power of love.