The 10 Key Principles of a Heart-Centered Leader

Do you have a longing for doing meaningful work – work that makes a difference? Or maybe, you’re already living your purpose and making an impact? Perhaps you own a purpose-driven business or work for a service based business? Wanting to make a difference sounds terrific but, have you really considered the responsibility that doing this work entails?

Being a Heart-Centered Leader is definitely a privileged journey, it’s a gift, not a right. And when we’re good leaders and good at what we do, we have to be aware and understand the impact we have on people. Making a difference fuels us and it’s our driving force, but when we understand the impact we make on others, we have the power of enhancing it, so we can have a more positive impact in the world.

Usually, leadership requires that we focus on strategy, clear communication, problem solving, marketing, etc., but we also have to be aware that we need to lead from the heart. Being a Heart-Centered Leader requires that we are authentic, compassionate, mindful, open-minded, open-hearted, courageous, caring and humble, even when we are very successful.

But there’s more to it! If we want to make an impact, we have to be mindful that this is a way of living. Heart-Centered Leadership needs to be practiced daily at home, at work, in our business, in our community, etc. This way of life is available to anyone, but not everyone will choose to follow this path of self-expression, because it has to come from a place of emotional and energetic resonance. In other words, you have to believe in it as a way of life and it has to resonate with you.

Here are the 10 key principles of a Heart-Centered Leader:

1. Know Yourself– Be self-aware. Understand who you are, what you’re all about and what your blind spots are. Become familiar with your personal story and decide to change it for a more positive and supportive one. Also, take time to self-evaluate often so you become more intentional about your habits, behaviors, attitude, etc. Self-evaluation paves the way for being more mindful about the impact we’re making with our words and actions.
2. Grow Yourself– Being a Leader and making an impact requires that we are constantly learning and working on our blind spots.  It’s an ongoing journey of  s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g your mind and learning, leading, understanding and adjusting our impact. Know that every experience is a learning experience that will make you stronger, wiser and will make you grow.
3. Honor who you are– We all have unique gifts and talents. Value and appreciate your uniqueness (flaws and all), the greatness that you can bring to the world and how BIG of a difference you can make. Use this as your driving force. Your gifts are really needed, don’t hide behind your fears!
4. Take responsibility– Don’t see yourself as a victim. Leaders take responsibility for their actions and are fully aware that we all are the creators of our own reality. Don’t give your power away by blaming other people or circumstances. Leaders make choices, not excuses!
5. Serve and Enrich Lives– The focus of a Heart-Centered Leader is to serve those who they are leading, not the other way around. Share your gifts and talents with no limitations. You’ll gain immeasurable joy and fulfillment, while you’re enriching other people’s lives and inspiring them to have confidence in what they can be capable of doing.
6. Surround yourself with good company– connect with people that inspire you and stretch you in new directions. Nurture meaningful connections and relationships with people that are positive, will motivate you and see the greatness and potential in you.
7. Set healthy boundaries– Say “NO” to distractions, so you can say “YES” to bigger and more important things in your life. Heart-Centered Leaders are clear about their vision and their goals, so they’ll use them as their GPS to make any decisions and stay focused.
8. Genuinely listen– Never judge or assume. Have the willingness to explore and engage with others. Be interested in what others have to say. Care by asking questions and create a space for others to have a voice.
9. Be in a state of Flow – Detach from outcomes, don’t try to control things. Remain in a state of trust and faith, knowing that you’re divinely supported at all times, and refuse to be pulled into negativity or doubt. Just be open and allow opportunities to come your way, because our intention directs our attention.
10. Take self-care seriously– Look at your health and well-being from a Holistic perspective. Exercising, having a healthy diet, resting, playing, having meaningful and loving relationships and having a spiritual practice will make a big difference in your energy level, focus and stamina when doing your fulfilling work.

One last thing…A Heart-Centered Leader really understands that we are all equal, we’re not separate or different from other people, who also have similar spiritual, physical and emotional needs. When we live this way, follow the principles, and live with transparency, integrity and benevolence, we’ll be able to earn the respect and trust from others, and we’ll be able to inspire, motivate and draw the best out of those who we are leading