The Leadership Secret That Creates Loyalty: Why Leading With Heart Works

When I think back on the two leaders I worked for who epitomized how to create team excellence, there’s a defining characteristic they share in common – they were both driven to lead with heart.

And while it’s been decades since I worked with them, I still look back fondly on my time as a member of their winning team.

And there’s a fundamental truth that becomes clear when we lead with heart: our effectiveness as leaders is directly tied to our ability to understand and connect with the hearts and minds of those we lead.

When we lead with heart, we create an environment where people feel truly seen, heard, and valued.

Reflecting back on these two leaders and what behaviours and patterns they share in common, I realize there’s a few things we can all do to lead with heart:

The first is to start each day checking in with your emotional state. Ask yourself what’s driving your decisions and words? How are your emotions colouring how you see and hear what someone’s telling you? Developing this self-awareness of your emotional state is a critical first step.

Next you need to extend this emotional awareness outwards to your colleagues and employees. Use empathy to better understand the challenges they’re facing and how it can affect their perspective.

In my workshops on empathy and leadership, I teach leaders to practice mindful listening; that they quiet their minds so they can not only hear what someone is saying, but notice their tone, their body language, and even what they’re leaving unsaid.

Ultimately, leading with heart is not a “soft skill” – it’s about being human. And when we bring more humanity to our leadership, we not only create better workplaces, but we empower people to bring their best efforts to our shared purpose because they see and know that we care.