Read. Be inspired. Go love.

Is it really possible to create a way of working based on love not fear? Yes. It’s not only possible. It’s essential. Learn more from this collection of more than 100 posts to inspire and guide you.

Everywhere I go: in a hotel shuttle in Kentucky.
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: in a hotel shuttle in Kentucky.

Everywhere I go people tell me stories about their workplaces. Some are full of fear, missed opportunities, bad business, and outright harm. Others are full of love, respect, kindness and the benefits that come to customers, employees, and organizations when these human values are embraced.

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Everywhere I go: across the puget sound
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: across the puget sound

My work sometimes takes me around the world and other times it takes me right across the Puget Sound. Everywhere I go, I find people who are doing difficult work thoughtfully, brilliantly, kindly, taking care of each other too, in simple yet meaningful ways.

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Everywhere I go: in a workshop in Barcelona.
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: in a workshop in Barcelona.

Amor.” This word surprised the group of 30 people from the Lean construction community gathered for a workshop at the Catalonia Institute for Construction Technology (iTeC) in Barcelona where I was on holiday. “Amor.” A ripple of smiles and happy murmurs moved through the room when I said the answer to fear at work is love.

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Everywhere I go: people want to be human.
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: people want to be human.

We want more from our work than just a paycheck. We want to be valued. We want to contribute. We want healthy relationships with our colleagues. We want to be ourselves. We want to find meaning. It doesn’t seem like too much to ask. But apparently, it’s hard to come by.

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Everywhere I go: I rideshare
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: I rideshare

In my research interviews on fear and love in the workplace, people often said their fear experience increased their commitment to NOT leading with fear but instead leading with care, respect, trust, empathy and so on. In other words, their fear experience increased their commitment to never doing that to anyone else and instead leading with love.

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Everywhere I go: on a train from Nice to Ventimiglia
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: on a train from Nice to Ventimiglia

The 2nd class train from Nice, France, to Ventimiglia, Italy, is overflowing on this sunny weekday morning in September. Commuters heading to work mix with tourists like me on holiday. Luggage fills the aisles. Children sit on laps. Passengers stand in the vestibule between cars, sweaty and crowded.

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Everywhere I go: in a café at work
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: in a café at work

When I was consulting to the US Army, I worked under a wonderful General.  He was a humble, wise leader who treated people well. Even though I was just a contractor, he demonstrated that he valued me and my work. He gave me support, opportunities to grow, and recognition when I did well. Shortly after I left, he deployed to Afghanistan. 

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Everywhere I go: an airplane
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: an airplane

Seated next to me on the airplane last week on a flight to Salt Lake City was Glenn, a friendly, talkative dentist from Alaska. He was headed to a dental conference while I was going to Park City to spend the weekend in conversation with friends exploring humanity at the center of our work.

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Everywhere I go: in my backyard in Tacoma
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: in my backyard in Tacoma

Friends gathered in my backyard in Tacoma on a warm summer Sunday evening to enjoy dinner and catch up on life. Tom* retired in June from a thirty year elementary school teaching career, and Patty retired from teaching college just two years ago.

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Everywhere I go: in Seattle at JuneBaby (Part 1)
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: in Seattle at JuneBaby (Part 1)

Sitting at the counter eating at JuneBaby in Seattle, I chat with the young couple visiting from Connecticut next to me. When he learns about my love not fear work, he lights up and shares the street art of 5ivefingaz and Love More Than Ever. So much to love there! Check it out! 

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Everywhere I go: in Seattle at JuneBaby (Part 2)
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: in Seattle at JuneBaby (Part 2)

Sitting on the other side of me at the counter of June Baby, I chat with a young Black woman vacationing in the beautiful PNW. She asks what I do, and when I tell her I advocate for more love and less fear in the workplace, she responds, “Oh wow. We need that in healthcare! The healthcare system that I work in is so full of fear and intimidation.”

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