You are a manager. Everyone is a manager. A person may manage an executive team, executive team members manage managers, managers manage supervisors, supervisors manage workers, and workers manage themselves. We are all managers. So what is the most valuable competency?

I learned this competency in the Air Force as I advanced through the ranks. The competency is an imperative interaction that if not developed leads to failure and worse events. Learning this competency can result in unbelievable positive results in business and in life. Not learning this competency will lead to frustration, unhappiness, poor morale, high turnover, stress, poor performance, terminations, and even demise. What is the competency?

The competency is genuinely caring for yourself and the people who work for you. That’s right, Loving yourself and others. You must take care of yourself both physically and psychologically. Only when a person nourishes and cares for his or her body and psychological wellbeing can he or she then nourish and motive others. Motivating people to produce their best work is a critical competency of every manager.

Loving yourself means feeding yourself the right foods, engaging in physical exercise to be at your best, resting appropriately to be at peak performance, and engaging in non-work activities to rest your mind and cultivate greater energy and creativity. Loving yourself means learning, growing as a person, seeking to develop more of your unlimited potential and greatness. When you love yourself in this way, you can love and care for others in your work and life.

What did Mary Kay, Mother Teresa, Colin Powell, Walt Disney, Helen Keller, and Herb Kellerer all have in common? Not only are they recognized as being extremely successful but they passionately cared for the people who they served. People follow leaders who they believe care for them. Loyalty and exceptional service is given to those who take a genuine personal interest in the wellbeing of others. High-performance is given to those who appreciate people. Appreciation, gratitude, and exceptional service are grounded in the value of love and caring.

How much do you care for and love yourself? How much do you care for and love the people who work for you or who you encounter in your work and life. An attitude and expression of caring and love can take you far. Without that competency, your future is extremely limited and less than positive. See and serve everyone through the lens of Love.