How to Lead with Heart and Help Others

Let's talk about a common mistake leaders make. This mistake happens when you focus too much on making plans instead of paying attention to the people you are leading. Leaders usually want to use their plans to help people. But sometimes, you can get so caught up in making plans that you forget about the real problems and what people actually need.

As leaders, we should NEVER forget about our people. That's why you should always lead with empathy, kindness, and care, and look out for the wellbeing of the people you lead. Without this, the team won't grow, and there will be disagreements and mistrust.

Our goal should be to lead with heart, inspire with actions, and create a culture of excellence.

Today, I want to help you lead with your heart, inspire with actions, and create a culture of excellence. Let's dive in.

Understanding People Over Plans

When you spend too much time on plans, policies, and rules, you can forget about the people you are leading. It's easy to get caught up in making the perfect plan or following strict rules, but this can make team members feel ignored and unimportant. Plans and rules are important, but they should never come before the needs and feelings of the team. When you put plans first, you might end up solving problems that don’t really matter to the people you're trying to help. This can lead to frustration and a lack of trust within the team, which can hurt the team's culture.

On the other hand, when you take the time to understand and care about your team, great things can happen. By listening to team members and understanding their needs and feelings, you can create a more positive and productive environment. When people feel heard and valued, they are more likely to be motivated and work harder. Empathy helps you see the real problems and find solutions that actually help the team. This approach builds trust and respect, leading to better results and a stronger, more united team.

Actions You Can Take as a Leader

• Create Alignment: Understand the common issues that affect most people.
• Communicate Across All Levels: Talk about these issues with everyone, from team members to higher-ups.
• Create and Delegate Areas of Responsibility: Divide the tasks and work together as a team to solve the issues.

It's not your job to do everything alone. Instead, you should guide the group to get everything done together. This way, you can prioritize human connection and empathize with your team, leading to outcomes that build trust and create a positive culture.

Real Leaders Prioritize Team Growth

Real leaders know that their main job is to help their team grow and succeed. Instead of only thinking about business goals and strict rules, you should spend time helping each team member get better at their skills and feel more confident. Good leaders listen to their team, give advice, and provide chances to learn and grow. When your team members grow, the whole team becomes stronger and can reach its goals more easily.

When leaders focus on people instead of just business goals, everyone wins. Team members feel valued and appreciated, which makes them more motivated and willing to work hard. This positive environment makes people happier with their jobs and less likely to leave. Also, when leaders help their team grow, they build trust and loyalty. Team members are more likely to help each other and work well together. This not only makes the team more productive but also creates a strong, united team that can handle challenges better. By putting people first, leaders create a culture of excellence that helps everyone succeed in the long run.

Actions You Can Take as a Leader

• Create the Environment for Growth: Encourage trying new things, recognize effort, praise progress (not just perfection), and keep coaching by asking questions to help team members grow.
• Provide Resources and Tools: Give your team what they need to succeed. Remove barriers that could stop them, but also give them the power to make decisions and figure out how to meet their goals.
• Communicate Clearly: Talk about their potential, opportunities, and the path forward.

You should aim to make everyone feel supported and valued so that they and the team can thrive. The growth of the team relies on you growing and creating an environment that promotes growth, inclusivity, and connection.

Leading with Heart

When you lead with empathy and kindness, you make your team feel positive and supported. By understanding and caring about your team members' feelings and needs, you build strong relationships and trust. This makes everyone feel valued and respected, which motivates them to work hard. When people feel good about their work and their leader, they are more likely to help each other and work together towards common goals. This teamwork and mutual support lead to collective success, where everyone can achieve more together than they could alone.

Kindness in leadership has a powerful effect on the whole workplace. When you are kind and considerate, it sets a positive tone for everyone. Team members are more likely to be kind and supportive to each other, creating a friendly and cooperative atmosphere. This positive environment makes people happier and more satisfied with their jobs. Happy team members are more productive, creative, and willing to go the extra mile. By leading with heart, you not only improve individual and team performance but also create a workplace where everyone feels good and enjoys coming to work every day.

Actions You Can Take as a Leader

• Put Yourself in Their Shoes: Think about how you would want to be spoken to, how you would want a situation handled, and how you would want your issues prioritized.
• Always Follow Up: Provide a response, even if it's not what they want to hear. Not communicating raises anxiety, kills trust, and erodes connection.
• Seek Fast Resolution: Don’t let small things become big problems. Try to solve issues quickly.

When people bring you issues, it means they trust you to handle them. The worst situation is when the team is silent because they think you won't listen.. As a leader the worse place you can be is a place where the silence is loud. This is usually happens when the team has nothing to say because they realize they have a leader who is unwilling to listen. As a leader, aim to create an environment where everyone feels heard, valued, and supported. This will help your team thrive and succeed together.

Conclusion

We talked about a common mistake leaders make: focusing too much on plans and not enough on people. Leaders often want to help their teams with detailed plans, but it's important not to forget the real needs of team members. By leading with empathy, kindness, and care, you can build strong relationships, trust, and a positive team culture.

Your Call to Action

Lead with your heart and inspire others through your actions. Focus on empathy and kindness to create a great team culture and success.

Remember, kindness in leadership can change your workplace and inspire your team. By being a kinder, more understanding leader, you make everyone work better and create a happy place to work.

Join me in leading with heart and kindness. Follow my content for more leadership tips, and let's work together to create a more caring world of leadership.