Do You Lead From the Heart?
Leading with the mind drives results, but leading with the heart inspires souls; it's not about titles, but touching lives.
Adam Danyal & Julia Danyal
September 01, 2023
WRITTEN BY: ADAM DANYAL
Leadership is an affair of the heart. It’s not skills or smarts that make great leaders, but how much they care. Like sunshine nourishing a garden, caring leaders help people blossom.
But in the rush of business, it’s easy to ignore people’s humanity. We manage resources, not relationships. The heart disappears behind workflow charts and key performance indicators.
Remember that every person on your team is writing their own life story. As leader, you hold the pen that inspires the epic tale or saddens the tragedy. Your caring touch adds vivid color while apathy leaves pages blank.
Leading from the heart requires seeing people, not roles. Forget job titles and org charts. When your team becomes real people with hopes and struggles, caring leadership flows naturally.
Laugh loudly when a joke hits. Ask about the sick parent. High five for the weekend touchdown. Share in life’s joy and pain - that’s leading from the heart.
Leading this way forges an unbreakable bond of trust. Your team will run through walls because you care like family. Just watch production soar.
But caring leadership demands sacrifice. More hours, patience, and empathy. You must give all and expect nothing. Only leaders with true servant hearts succeed.
So reconnect with your humanity. Schedule walks to chat, not just meetings to instruct. Listen more, judge less. Give encouragement before criticism.
Leading from the head drives results. But leading from the heart inspires greatness. Unlock your team’s potential with caring leadership. If you light their fire, they’ll energize the world.
From our Leadership Bookshelf:
WRITTEN BY: JULIA DANYAL
"Lead From The Heart: Transformational Leadership For The 21st Century" by Mark Crowley reveals how leading with care and compassion drives engagement and performance.
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Here are the key lessons from Crowley:
1. Connect genuinely with people's humanity. Schedule quality time for personal check-ins, not just transactional meetings.
2. Practice empathetic listening. Give your full attention to understand people's needs and struggles.
3. Express gratitude frequently. Recognize contributions publicly and often. People want to feel valued.
4. Lead with trust, not fear. Empower team members with autonomy to take risks and grow.
5. Share your vulnerabilities. This fosters human connections and inspires loyalty and dedication.
"Lead From the Heart" shows that heart-centered leadership unlocks discretionary effort and brings out the best in people. Lead with compassion.