6 Ways to Lead with Heart
Lead with heart to get above the fog.
6 ways to lead with heart:
#1. Get above the fog.
Purpose is about heart. Declare the purpose of meetings before people show up, for example. Set goals with deadlines.
Lead with heart by bringing up tough topics with openness.
#2. Strengthen relationships between others.
You enrich people when you provide opportunity to build relationships with others.
I hadn’t talked with John Spence in years; so I reached out. We connected and he introduced me to philosopher Tom Morris. A coaching client introduced me to a corporate leader at Chick-fil-A Supply. A friend and long-time reader of Leadership Freak introduced me to executive coach Heath Diekart. An editor at BenBella introduced me to David Adler, founder of BizBash.
Relationships enrich life.
#3. Provide a steady hand on the rudder.
Anxious leaders have anxious followers.
Don’t add to anxiety unnecessarily. Provide stability; establish rituals at work.
- Greet people with a smile and eye contact.
- Walk around once or twice a day.
- Be known for asking some of the same questions. When you ask the same questions, people know what matters.
#4. Say nice things to people.
Problems, pressure, and stress make being nice unusual. Don’t lower standards to be nice. Lead with heart.
Don’t confuse tough with mean.
Don’t turn coaching into criticizing.
Only open your mouth to make things better.
#5. Practice challenge AND support.
Ask two questions before your one-on-ones.
- How can I challenge people to challenge themselves?
- How can I support people without creating helplessness?
#6. Give people control.
Control freaks make lousy leaders. Talent likes to drive the boat.
Set a clear coarse and get out of the way.
Control freak question: How can I give control to others?
How can leaders lead with heart?
Still curious:
4 Ways to Become a Leader with an Open Heart
Leading with heart–the heart produces our emotions such as excitement, exhilaration, optimism, fear, desperation, and disappointment to name a few.
Effective leaders use their head to determine which emotions they and their staff are currently feeling.
Certainly leaders need to emphasize positive emotions to energize their teams. But there are times when teams fail and the leader needs to acknowledge the negative emotions that people are feeling.
You have to help the staff work through the negative emotions before they are open to opportunities (and positive emotions) to improve and achieve a better future.
If the head doesn’t control the heart, you may end up with an emotional mess.
For me leading with heart means you start by understanding what people are feeling and them determine the appropriate course of action.
Starting with others reflects a commitment to lead with heart. You adapt to people. Discouraged people need encouragement. Bored people need challenge. Excited people need focus. Confused people need time to reflect.
Love this statement within the post,
“Anxious leaders have anxious followers.” So true!!!
Thanks Phil!
I was an associate at THD and Daniel Bessey organized a development class for 20 of us with the chance to become a leader, that’s how I met you in a video conference. My leader, Daniel, enriched my life. Now I am a leader, on title so far but I am growing as fast as I can. Your blog helps a lot, thank you.
Well hello Hector. Thanks for explaining the connection. There’s lots of opportunity at Home Depot. Steady on!