Plato on Love: Transforming Business with Eros

Eros, like rocket fuel, is energy-dense and burns hot.?

Introduction:

Eros, often associated with romantic love, triggers powerful biochemical reactions involving dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, creating intense emotional and physical connections. Although Eros is one of the most potent human emotions it remains largely misunderstood and underutilized in professional environments. This article explores how intentionally engaging with Eros can transform business practices, fueling passion and inspiring play, fostering a dynamic and innovative workplace, and creating enthusiastic and dedicated customers.

Understanding Eros in Business:

In the corporate world, 'passion' frequently serves as a substitute for Eros. While passion is not a bad replacement—founders are fueled by passion; we want passion for our customers and passion for quality—Eros encompasses much more. If passion is the outcome we desire, we must inspire Eros by understanding and implementing conditions for its emergence. These conditions can be cultivated but never forced. Anyone who has experienced unrequited love knows that you cannot create passion; you can only create the conditions for passion to exist. Eros is the fuel of passion, and when people are touched by Eros, they become passionate.?

So, how do we intentionally engage Eros to foster a dynamic and innovative workplace?

Creating Conditions for Eros:

1. Safety: The foundation of Eros in business is safety. Similar to vulnerabilities exposed through romantic heartbreaks, in business, employees must feel safe to express themselves without fear. This means creating an environment where it's acceptable to take risks and learn from mistakes, fostering a culture that supports heart-led decisions.

2. Desire: Desire is a critical component. Socrates actually defined love as “to desire the preservation of that he has now in the time to come.” Love is rooted in desire; people must really want something. Because desire is a two-way street, having desire met and reciprocated can ignite profound passion. In business, this translates to ensuring employees feel their work is necessary and valued, fostering a strong urge to contribute meaningfully whether it is through intrinsic satisfaction from work or extrinsic rewards like meeting customer needs and exceeding expectations

3. Engagement: Engagement is more than involvement—it's about meaningful interaction. Play acts as a crucial mechanism here, making engagement enjoyable and spontaneous. Integrating play, such as gamified goals, creative brainstorming sessions, and team competitions, can make engagement enjoyable and spontaneous. For instance, hackathons in tech companies not only encourage innovative product development but also foster a competitive yet fun atmosphere that aligns with business goals.

The Role of Play in Cultivating Eros:

Play is often undervalued in professional settings, yet it is essential for stimulating creativity, innovation, and maintaining high engagement levels. Integrating play into the workplace doesn't mean neglecting professionalism or responsibilities. Instead, encouraging a playful atmosphere taps into a fundamental human need for exploration and spontaneity, boosting morale and enhancing problem-solving capabilities, embracing a mindset where experimentation and the freedom to explore new ideas are encouraged. Creating a playful work environment allows for the freedom to explore new ideas and experiment without fear of failure. This can be implemented through brainstorming sessions, team-building activities, or even allowing time for personal projects related to the business's goals. These initiatives foster a sense of curiosity and openness, essential outcomes of Eros.?

For example, Google's policy allowing employees to spend 20% of their time on personal projects has led to significant innovations like Gmail. Moreover, play enhances the attractiveness of the workplace. It makes the daily routine less monotonous and more dynamic, which in turn attracts and retains talent who are eager to contribute their best work. Employees who enjoy what they do and feel they can freely express their ideas are more likely to develop a deep, passionate commitment to their roles and the company. This strategy demonstrates how integrating play can enhance the attractiveness of the workplace, attract and retain talent, and foster a deeply passionate commitment to the company.?

The Dark Side of Eros:

The fuel that inspires play and creativity—and can change cultures and markets—comes with a warning. Power is power, how it’s applied—whether for light or dark—determines outcomes. Eros, like rocket fuel, is energy-dense and burns hot.?

We could dive deep into specifics here like passionate rage or jealousy—but think of any of the numerous "crimes of passion" and the point is clear. Eros can be a dangerous force. The reason that Eros is so dangerous, and in particular for business, is that Eros demands that we suspend rationality. In business, or when dealing with any type of team, rational behavior is a fair expectation. If a lover "flies off the handle," it can get uncomfortable and sometimes quite ugly. If a team member loses their rational grip in the throes of passion, it can send shockwaves through an organization that may result in HR issues, up to and including termination.?

It’s even worse if a leader isn’t perceived as rational, there is no quicker way to undermine trust, and it’s near impossible to lead without trust (unless brute force is involved—and that’s not leadership).

Even when kept as a force for good, Eros can lead to burnout and a high potential for bias, blinded by your "love" for your idea or way. When you play with Eros, you are playing with fire—and it's easy to get burned. But fire comes with all the good things including warmth, light, growth, and the transformative enhancement it brings.

Making Eros Thrive:

Creating conditions for Eros in business through safety, attraction, and playful engagement isn’t just about enhancing passion; it's about creating fertile ground to allow for passion and play to thrive. This strategic approach to business management ensures that employees are not only invested in their work but are also excited to contribute to the company’s success, making passion a standard outcome rather than an occasional triumph. This helps businesses unlock a powerful form of love that leads to remarkable innovation and productivity. Understanding and implementing Eros offers a sustainable path to cultivating a passionate, creative, and committed workforce, transforming everyday tasks into a labor of love.

With love,

-Noah

Next week, I’ll publish a post about Storge “store-gah” - what the Ancient Greeks called familial love. Honestly, I struggled with comparing a mother’s love for her child with any business application, but I’m very excited about where I landed - it’s the essence of life itself! Subscribe to have that land directly in your inbox.