The Heart of Leadership

When I was on stage conducting my “Red Carpet Movie Series” years ago, the lights were so bright, I could not see the audience. I couldn’t even sense their presence.

Take a moment to process that image. Could anything be more counterintuitive to leadership? To be an effective leader, one must connect with one’s followers. One must see them, hear them, sense their every goal and challenge. Leadership is an art—one part strategy, two parts judgment, and three parts grace.

I’ve had numerous conversations with employees, customers, investors and vendors about purpose. They’re looking for direction in a world in which so much has changed over the last few years. How we live and relate to others. How we produce and consume. How we are entertained. Where, when, and how we work.

It’s a parallel to the parable of recent times—and a testament to the shifts not only in humanity, but also in organizations throughout the world. So where do we begin? With the Four “H’s”:

Humility … to never stop learning

Hunger … to find our why

Heart … to give to get

Hustle … to network, network, network

When we find what we’re passionate about, we tap into our purpose—why we do what we do. This intrinsic motivation is far more durable than any extrinsic reward.

As we network, we foster new relationships and savor new experiences. And as psychologists tell us, those experiences we share organically with others are particularly meaningful.

This all comes together in learning, to continuously explore and expand our knowledge—including about ourselves.

It starts with applying past experiences and lessons learned to new challenges and first-time opportunities. In other words, it’s knowing what to do when we don’t know what to do.

The more curious we are, the more eagerly we embrace complexity, make fresh connections, and examine problems in new ways.

We’re open to diverse viewpoints, while challenging our preconceived notions—to move beyond “this is the way we’ve always done things.”

Uncomfortable? Sometimes. Transformational? Always.

The willingness to try something new can change the trajectory of your life.

Only with opportunity can we exceed our potential.

And that’s the essence of leadership: creating that next path for others … and then being by their side as they travel that path.

Indeed, that should be the goal of every leader from the White House, from Congress, from the Senate, from the Supreme Court, and from the private sector down to the trenches of every hard-working individual.

Find your passion and purpose!

Let’s make a difference in the industries in which we operate, in our communities, in the United States and around the world.

Written by Dr. Jim White, PhD.

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