Inspire and lead with humanity.

Inspire and lead with humanity.

The real competitive advantage in business is one word only, which is “people” ~ Kamil Toume

What makes a great leader? Simon Sinek answers this question well: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” Great leadership is about humanity. Leaders must see their employees as people, not just workers or dollar signs. The workforce is in dire need of inclusive and inspirational leaders who lead from the heart and consistently prioritise people over profit. Organisations are built on a foundation of genuine relationships and shared values. Putting people first in all we do is the business. Putting people first is the key to unleashing the full power and creativity of teams, superior customer service, strengthened client relations, and closer and more productive relationships with vendors and suppliers.

All heart without results is weak. All results without heart is ugly. Being all about results is leading all with the head. 10 ideas for 2019 to lead with your heart to get results:

1. Say what you think and be authentic.
2. Be ethical, predictable, fair and reliable.
3. Leadership is an act of service and privilege, not a position of status. Get over yourself and your title.
4. Live by and enact values more than results.
5. Create safe environments and foster whole-person wellbeing.
6. Get out of your office and talk to your people. Do the front-line work for a few days so you can empathise with staff and also understand your business properly.
7. Honour the skills, passions, and strengths of others. Let others shine using their strengths.
8. Stand with people who make mistakes and manage those who aren’t performing or behaving inappropriately in the workplace quickly and with respect and integrity.
9. Express gratitude, manners and what’s going right. Share your vision with a passion often.
10. Let your heart brain lead your head first sometimes. Share your purpose and help others to define and unleash theirs.

Until the 1990s, scientists assumed that it was only the brain that sent information and issued commands to the heart, but now we know that it works both ways. In fact, the heart’s complex intrinsic nervous system, the “heart brain”, is an intricate network of several types of neurons, neurotransmitters, proteins and support cells, like those found in the brain proper. The heart communicates to the brain in several major ways and acts independently of the cranial brain. Leadership in part entails delivering the experience of sincere positive emotions to our staff, such as caring, compassion or appreciation. This allows the heart to process these emotions, and the heart’s rhythm to become more coherent and harmonious. This information is sent to the brain and the entire body neurologically, biochemically, biophysically and energetically. And it facilitates creativity, engagement and wellbeing.

The thing that makes a leader remarkable isn’t their ability to achieve results. It’s their ability to achieve results with heart.