LEADING WITH A NOBLE HEART

BERNADETTE C. BUENAVENTURA Ed.D.

Heartless leaders are deformed beasts abuse in the name of results. Leaders nowadays were more of a boss than a leader. They forgot the true essence of being a leader. They became monster in their company or institution they are managing. They forgot how to manage and lead their people. As a matter of fact a lot of agencies have this kind of leaders (bosses) who abuses their authority, power and position. They even produced clone, a replica of their image and likeness that eventually became worse than their creator. Many of us lead, but not many of us lead with a noble heart. Leadership is about team work and about knowing that each person on a team has an invaluable role in creating the finished product or reaching the final goal. Effective leaders build rapport and get their hands dirty, too. They set the tone for the organization and if a forward-moving, innovative, creative environment is the type of work place you aim to build, it is essential that you provide the model that you would like them to follow.

Remember, “Open hearts feel pain that closed hearts don’t.” Wise leaders learn that heart is essential, especially while doing the tough stuff. Those who lead with heart change lives. The essence of heart is commitment to connect on a human level. According to James Mckey,”Leaders who have not yet found a balance within themselves will also fail at finding a balance between heart and results.”

A heart-led leader serves others. They epitomize servant leadership. They are humble. They are genuine and sincere. They are transparent and vulnerable. They measure success not just on spreadsheets but on the amount of impact they (and their organizations) have on others. They believe love and results are two sides of the same coin. According to @ Leadership Freak, Leaders with heart:

Say what they really think. Posturing reflects a closed heart.

Remain predictable. Practice the ritual of touching base with teammates in the morning, for example.

Reject the trappings of position. They won’t connect with you when you seem high and mighty.

Live by values more than results.

Create safe environments. Beastly leaders use fear to coerce compliance.

Expose their own weaknesses that strengthen connection, but don’t foster entitlement or indulgence. Be “one of” not “one above.”

Show interest in teammate’s family members. You connect with others by showing interest in their children, for example.

Get out of your office.

Honor the skills, passions, and strengths of others. Let others shine.

Express tenderness toward others even as you expect excellence from them.

Admit their own mistakes.

Ask forgiveness for offenses.

Stand with people who screw up.

Express gratitude.

Support the development of teammates and teams.

Effective leaders lead from their hearts and know the hearts of their team members. Passion, drive, and commitment to quality are all important, but a passionate commitment to your team is what makes the group function at its greatest effectiveness and enthusiasm.

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

A leader with a noble heart can give us what we all search for— a sense of purpose, meaning, and nobility.

— oOo—

The author is Head Teacher III at San Juan High School, Mexico