Do what you love, love what you do 💖
15 lessons to transform your business and leadership from Love + Work by Marcus Buckingham
Daniel’s verdict ✅
Love + Work by Marcus Buckingham is a powerful reminder that thriving in business means doing what energises you. The concept of “red threads” — the tasks you love doing — hits home, encouraging entrepreneurs to align their work with passion and purpose.
What makes this book great is its balance of philosophy and practicality, offering tips like flipping feedback to focus on strengths and simplifying decisions to save mental energy. Love + Work is a concise, insightful read for anyone looking to build meaningful, fulfilling careers or businesses.
Keep scrolling for my top 15 takeaways from the book that you can use straight away.
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1. Turn your strengths into your superpower
Stop wasting time on tasks you’re just “okay” at. Double down on what you’re naturally great at and what lights you up. Audit your week: what activities energise you? Delegate or minimise what drains you and focus on what you do best.
2. Lead with passion, not just a plan
Your enthusiasm sets the tone for your team. If you love what you’re building, others will want to join you on the journey. Share a personal story with your team about why this business matters to you. It’ll remind them (and you) of the bigger picture.
3. Find your red threads and weave them into your day
Your red threads are the tasks that make you lose track of time. The more of them you include in your daily work, the better. Block 1–2 hours each day for the activities you genuinely enjoy and excel at. Protect that time like it’s sacred.
4. Reframe feedback
Forget nitpicking weaknesses. Focus on amplifying what people already do well: it’s better for morale and results. Start team check-ins by asking, “What’s one thing that went great this week, and how can we do more of it?”
5. Be careful of the ‘excellence trap’
Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean it’s right for you. Don’t let external praise lock you into work you don’t love. Reflect on your career: what are you doing because you want to, and what are you doing because you “should”? Start cutting the “shoulds.”
6. Create a workplace people love to show up to
Let your team align their roles with their passions. People thrive when they feel their work matters and fits their strengths. Have one-on-ones to ask your team what tasks they enjoy most. Then, adjust their roles to include more of those tasks.
7. Ditch standard career paths
Success looks different for everyone. Don’t force people into traditional hierarchies — help them forge their unique journey. Create a “choose your own adventure” career map. Let employees explore lateral growth, not just promotions.
8. Schedule your flow state
The best work happens when you’re completely absorbed. Find your peak focus times and plan deep work accordingly. Figure out when you’re most productive (morning or evening?) and block that time for high-impact tasks — no meetings, no distractions.
9. Celebrate individuality
Every team member brings something unique. Honour their quirks, talents, and perspectives. Create a team strengths board where everyone lists their top skills. Use it to assign projects that match their superpowers.
10. Lead with curiosity, not assumptions
Get to know your team’s likes and dislikes — what they love, loathe, and thrive on. Ask this question in your next team meeting: “What’s one task you’d happily do every day if you could?”
11. Eliminate decision fatigue
Don’t waste brainpower on trivial choices. Automate or streamline wherever possible. Pick your go-to work wardrobe and stick to it. Simplify repetitive decisions like meal prepping or scheduling recurring tasks.
12. Tap into the power of love for resilience
Engaging in work you love doesn’t just feel good — it builds mental toughness and helps you handle stress. Start each day by tackling a task you genuinely enjoy: it sets a positive tone for everything else.
13. Flexibility is essential
Rigid work environments are out. Let people work when and how they perform best. Survey your team to find their preferred working hours and try a flexible schedule experiment for one month.
14. Prioritise well-being as a business strategy
Burnout kills creativity and productivity. Build well-being into your culture. Introduce a “well-being hour” each week where employees can unplug, exercise, or do something restorative — no meetings allowed.
15. Be the strengths champion in your business
Make strengths, not job titles or KPIs, the centrepiece of your culture. Empower people to lean into what they do best. Run a team strengths workshop where everyone identifies their top three strengths and explores how to apply them at work.
👤 About the author
Marcus Buckingham is a global thought leader on strengths-based leadership and personal growth. Known for his innovative approach to work and life, he’s the author of several bestsellers, including First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths. With a focus on individuality and passion, Marcus empowers people to build careers aligned with what they love.
