Leading when you have a heavy heart

- I was recently asked, "How do you stay so positive "when things are incredibly difficult around the world, "in our country, for so many people at home, "and inside of so many businesses?" And my answer surprised the person that asked, which is sometimes the right answer is not to be positive. Sometimes the important thing to do is to read the room, tap into our humanness, and focus more on other things, like what's possible. And 2020 and many events around it have certainly brought this conversation of leading with a heavy heart to the forefront. Each of us in our own way, to our own degree have been asked to carry on, continue in business, while still bearing the weight of what is going on around us. And in many cases, very personal things affecting our families, our lives, those we love, our companies, our employees, and our communities. Having the ability to lead with a heavy heart is actually a sign of a modern and contemporary leader. Having the conversation about heart and feelings and empathy is not new, but more important than ever. This conversation is incredibly important to me because not only have I dealt with change, trauma, challenges, and growth since I was a child, I've experienced the importance of management and leadership, seeing people as individuals, and helping them show up even when times are difficult, and also, benefiting from leaders who themselves found a way to be authentic and human and reveal what it is like to bring your heart and human forward as a leader. I'm Kat Cole. I'm an advisor, investor, and board member, former president and COO of a global franchise company called Focus Brands. And I, like many of you, have navigated some tough times recently and learned that there are practices and ways to show up better as a leader. I hope you enjoy these techniques and I hope it's incredibly helpful to you and your team.