Leading With Heart And Humility
Whether you’re just stepping into your first leadership role or you’ve been managing teams for some time, there’s this incredible power in leading with a heart full of care and genuine humility. It’s like a secret sauce that can elevate your team to operate at their absolute best.
A recent article showed that leaders, the ones who really shine, they’re the ones who embrace humility in the workplace. It’s no mystery, really. Employees thrive when they know their leadership has their backs.
So, the trick here is to strike that perfect balance between being open and radiating positivity. It’s like the sweet spot that can make your leadership truly remarkable.
Our CEO & Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a Soulcast Media | LIVE event on LinkedIn, where she interviewed Author and Keynote Speaker, Dr. Todd Dewett.
They shared key tips and personal stories about leading with heart and humility.
1. Mindset
When we find ourselves in a situation where we’re not exactly hitting our stride and our team isn’t either, it’s time to put on our thinking caps with the right mindset. During the Soulcast Media | LIVE event, Todd shared the importance of carefully weighing the context of our situations. It’s all about looking at the bigger picture and understanding what’s really going on.
Consider the following:
- What Do They Need? – Taking a step back and reflecting on things can be a game-changer when it comes to figuring out why we’re not thriving, and the same goes for our team. It’s about asking ourselves some key questions like, “What’s my team really in need of right now? Are we doing something that’s just not clicking? And hey, what part of me might be holding the team back from reaching its full potential?” For instance, picture this scenario: Your team has tons of potential, but their sales numbers aren’t quite reflecting that. Instead of jumping to conclusions and pointing fingers, the smart move is to turn that magnifying glass on ourselves as leaders. Maybe it’s a matter of providing more training, or maybe a little extra motivation in the form of incentives could do the trick.
Bottom line? Taking a closer look at how we’re leading our teams can be a real game-changer in optimizing their performance.
- What Can We Do? –
Self-reflection isn’t just about asking questions; it’s about taking action too. So, let’s ponder this: What can we do to shake things up in the way we interact with our team? For instance, if those emails we’re sending out are just collecting virtual dust because no one’s reading them, it might be time to switch gears. We could dive into an online messaging platform, toss out shorter, snappier messages, and enjoy real-time responses. The more we can tweak and fine-tune our interactions to better suit our team’s needs, the more success we can expect to see. It’s all about finding those little ways to make a big difference.
- Time & Investment – There are moments when we really need to weigh the value of our investment in a team against the time and energy we’re pouring into it. Let’s say, for instance, that despite our best efforts, neither us nor our team are hitting that thriving mark. We’ve experimented with various strategies, but the needle just isn’t budging. It might be time to entertain the idea that it’s in our best interest to start exploring other opportunities.
When that special chemistry just isn’t sparking with our team, we’ve got a few options to consider. We can put the spotlight on personal change, work on transforming the team dynamics, or explore new horizons and seek out fresh opportunities elsewhere. It’s all about finding the right formula for success.
2. Leadership Feedback
You know, leadership, it’s not really about us—it’s about everyone else we’re leading. It’s like a two-way street. To make it work, we’ve got to open ourselves up to feedback in a whole new way, like we’ve never done before. We can’t just stroll around, blissfully unaware of our strengths and weaknesses; that’s not going to cut it. It’s all about that self-awareness and growth.
Consider the following:
- Introspection – To truly lead with that heart and humility starts with some good old introspection. You know, taking a moment to look within. One handy tool for that is journaling – just jotting down your thoughts on paper. And here’s the cool part: when you start noticing a recurring theme in your journal entries, that’s your signal to sit up and take notice. It’s like your inner compass guiding you toward understanding how that particular strength or weakness plays into your leadership style. It’s all about that self-awareness journey.
- Leadership Coach – Having a leadership coach can be a total game-changer, whether they’re part of your organization or an external expert. They bring this fresh and unique perspective into our lives, helping us better understand who we are as leaders. Picture this: if you’re grappling with a tough nut on your team, a leadership coach can swoop in with some incredible insights and clever strategies to tackle the situation head-on. They’re like your secret weapon when it comes to navigating tricky team dynamics. They can help you set goals and keep you on this constant learning curve, so you’re always evolving as a leader and steering your team toward success. It’s like having a mentor in your corner, cheering you on.
- Get A Mentor – Having a mentor is like hitting a double jackpot – it’s not just fantastic for networking and climbing that career ladder, but it’s also a treasure trove of valuable feedback. Imagine this scenario: You pick a mentor who’s walked in your shoes before, who’s been right where you are now. Chances are, they’ve tackled the very same challenges you’re facing and have a crystal ball that predicts the obstacles you’ll encounter in the future. Having a mentor is like having your own personal guide through the leadership maze, but with the added bonus of heart and humility. They’ll help you navigate it all with grace and wisdom. It’s like having a trusted co-pilot on your leadership journey.
Feedback can skyrocket our growth as leaders.
3. Supporting Our Team
Making our team feel supported is absolutely essential. When there’s this genuine appreciation and understanding flowing through the team, it’s like we’ve just handed them the keys to unlock their highest potential.
Consider the following
- Listening – Listening is the key to making our team feel truly supported. Think about it – when they open up and tell us they need more time for a project, and we genuinely listen, it’s like we’re sending them this powerful message: “Hey, your concerns matter, and we’re here for you.”
On the flip side, if we brush off their input, it’s like slamming the door shut on their voices. They might start feeling like we’re not approachable or that we don’t take their concerns seriously. Active listening is all about support and connection.
- Showing We Care –
Leading with heart and humility is all about making our team feel like they matter like we genuinely care about them as individuals. And when they feel that care, it’s like we’re handing them this warm, cozy blanket of support. Here’s a simple yet powerful way to do it: give individual team members a shout-out when they’ve knocked it out of the park. Imagine this – right before a meeting, you take a quick moment to celebrate what each team member did exceptionally well and why it was so awesome. When we go that extra mile to show we care, our team feels it deep down. It’s all about building that bond of trust and support.
- People Skills – The skills that land us in a leadership role aren’t always the same ones that’ll see us through it successfully. When it comes down to it, people skills are like the secret sauce of effective leadership.
If we really want our team to feel that rock-solid support and care, then leveling up our people skills is a must. Take communication, for instance – it’s a major player here. Making sure that what we intend to convey matches the actual impact is key. Because if our message goes off-course, it can leave our team feeling adrift and unsupported. The better we become at these people skills, the better leaders we’ll turn out to be.
Supporting our team goes hand in hand with getting to know and truly understanding them.
Leading with heart and humility is like learning a skill – it takes some practice. There are some key steps on this journey that can make all the difference. It starts with getting into that right mindset, being open to constructive feedback, and, of course, being there to support our team.
Check out Jessica’s Youtube Channel if you want to see the full LIVE version of Jessica and Todd’s conversation.
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