Why leaders who invest in community, compassion, and love—yes, love—produce teams that outperform on every metric

In a high-stress tech company, teams were burning out—engagement was dropping, and turnover rising, despite competitive pay. The new manager tried something unconventional: she started every Monday with a quick check-in about life outside work—the dog someone was training, a kid’s school play, even weekend headaches. Occasional Friday lunches became standard, with time carved out for quick games. When someone got promoted, the team clapped and cheered—sometimes a little too loudly. When layoffs or tough news struck, the first priority wasn’t an efficiency review, but honest, caring conversations.

Individual productivity soared, but the unseen win was resilience: during a product crisis, people put in extra hours voluntarily, and staff surveys spiked in reporting that they felt deeply connected and cared for. The manager’s cheerleading didn’t feel manipulative, because she remembered birthdays, sent hand-written notes to families, and genuinely showed up in bad times, too.

The organizational science is clear: companies and groups with strong cultures of 'companionate love'—affection, caring, respect—report better teamwork and retention, and outperform those where relationships are strictly transactional.

Brainstorm a simple ritual that helps people on your team or in your community bond around more than just work or tasks. Take a moment at your next meeting to share or ask about something outside the daily grind, and be genuine about remembering those details next time. When someone on your team wins—or struggles—be first to celebrate or send a supportive note or call. Create your own small gestures of recognition or compassion, and make them traditions that outlast you. Give it a try with one gesture today—you'll see it catch on.