We spend a lot of time thinking about what we accomplish as leaders. The goals we hit, the projects we complete and the results we produce.
However, lately I’ve been reflecting on a far different question…
“What are people experiencing when they experience me?”
I know with complete certainty that every conversation leaves an impression, and every meeting changes the energy in the room. Each interaction we have with others either builds trust or slowly chips it away. Long after people forget exactly what U said, they’ll remember how U made them feel.
Did they leave feeling heard? Encouraged?
Respected?
Inspired?
Or did they leave feeling overlooked, dismissed, or simply like another item on your to-do list? That’s the real memory of U that they’re left with.
And to me, that’s the most beautiful part of heart-based leadership. It reminds us that leadership isn’t just about getting things done, actually, it’s quite the contrary. Leadership is about helping people become more because they crossed paths with us. That’s the gift we get to give to others.
As leaders, parents, friends, and colleagues, we all have an opportunity to influence the emotional wake we leave behind, and potentially, leave others better than we found them. So this month, I invite U to ask yourself one simple question before every conversation:
“How do I want this person to feel after spending time with me?”
That one question has the power to change the way we listen, the way we communicate, and ultimately, the kind of leader we become. By asking ourselves this simple question, we begin with the end in mind, set the intention before the interaction, and thus, seek the outcome we desire.
I have said this countless times in keynote and trainings, and it bears repeating…
Our greatest legacy won’t be what we achieved, it will be who we helped improve along the way.
Be the reason others feel seen, heard, valued, respected, cared for and loved. That right there is the reason I do the work I do. The world needs more impactful, heart-based leaders, so join me and be the leader others long for, and deserve.
With love & gratitude,
Jodi