This part of my blog is for critical thinking and talking. I will discuss different subjects that keep my mind busy, that I want to share my opinion about and discuss with you. It would be much appreciated if you would add a comment as well, so we can discuss these subjects together as a community.

Leadership with a Heart

It is sometimes said that you are born a leader and cannot develop this. Do you believe this?

What is a leader?

Who is a leader?

How should you lead?

Questions you ask yourself when you are at a crossroad. You can go in different directions; will you become a leader with your head or with your heart? Are you too strict or too lenient? What is the middle ground and how do you ensure that you continue to follow that path? Leadership is not just about good ideas, a strong opinion, presentation skills, or persuasion skills. It is about being able to move others to choose YOU and join your movement towards something greater and better. Not because you know better, but because you have the gift to guide and keep others on the right path. You sense what they do not feel. You know what they do not know. Sometimes you do not even know what you know. That is human.

Honesty is crucial for good leadership. You can only motivate people to do something for you, if you explain to them what the importance of their presence is. You need to explain why you want something and what consequences it has.

People often think that your heart has no influence on leadership or shouldn't have any influence. But empathy often makes people go the extra mile. Would you want to fight for a dictator who keeps control to themselves or for a compliant leader who also listens to others? Exactly. Almost no one chooses the dictator. Why? We all have something to say and to think. We all want to feel important and involved. We want to feel heard.

What should you do with the opinions of others as a leader? Listen. Process. Apply. Some people come up with great ideas, but do not look at the bigger picture. What are the consequences? What are the risks? These are important questions you need to ask yourself when your most creative team member comes forward with a 'great' idea. You don't want to slow them down too much. Make sure your team feels heard. That the people you lead know that you listen, but may not always follow their advice. You have the reins in hand, but they also have a say in what is happening. It's a kind of democratic approach, where the direction still lies with one person, and that person is you.

Leading is not for everyone. A good leader keeps control over his or her emotions. Does not act impulsively. Does not lose oneself in moments of stress or busyness. A leader must be a stable pillar of the team. Everyone must be able to lean on you, but at the same time, you also know that you can rely on your team when needed.

How do you develop yourself as a leader? This is a difficult question to answer. I even followed a whole course based on this question. Because are leaders born or made? In my opinion, it's a bit of both. Everyone has certain skills that are innate. You are extroverted or introverted, you are empathetic, a thinker, a doer, a public speaker, etc. Some things cannot be learned. But you can certainly break through barriers. You can improve the skills that you have. You can learn new skills. All what you have to do is get out of your comfort zone.

Try to mingle more with good leaders. Start looking around you and search for people that you look up to. People that can help you to develop yourself as a person, but also as a leader. Someone who can explain to you what mistakes are common to make and how to solve it. Go to events, follow courses, read and talk about it. When you are actively trying to improve yourself as a leader, you will grow as a person. And eventually you will find a way to become a better leader.

If you would like to read/talk more about this subject, feel free to reach out to me.