What is the commonality between the Seattle Seahawks winning Super Bowl XLVIII and Valentine’s Day? LOVE. What a shock! Or is it? One of the most lopsided victories in Super Bowl history lies in the fact that Coach Pete Carroll and his guys put a beat-down on Payton Manning and the Denver Broncos with what I have always known about teams: with all things being equal- the TEAM that “out loves” the other TEAM most always wins. I.e. The team that cares, trust and respect each other more than the opponent feels about their teammates. I have known Coach Carroll on a personal level; He has been repeatedly criticized for his happy-go-lucky nature. Analysts said his coaching style at the collegiate level would fail in the National Football League. But you would certainly know otherwise after listening to the post-game interview when Coach Carroll spoke about how this professional team achieved this level of success by giving everything to each other because of how much they care for each other. Carroll went on to say that the coaches are able to demand and ask a lot from the players because they give the “respect and love” back in a big way to the players. Leaders of teams have to spend time showing the utmost love and respect to their people, even in the violent and manly world of football if they want to win the ultimate prize. His answer was right on par with my belief. Practicing the concept and spirit of love is effective for sports teams, work teams, and families alike. Leaders of ANY team must make sure their personnel are treated with the highest level of respect. I know full well that through love, you can ask and get the most out of your team’s players.