THE SEVEN PILLARS OF HEART-CENTRED LEADERSHIP FOR HUMAN SERVICES
The days of autocratic, fear-based leadership are settling into the corridors of offices past. Gone are the days of ‘power over’ leadership where the people at the top are disconnected and focused only on the outputs of the organisation, or their own ego. Thank goodness for that! We are seeing a growing realisation amongst contemporary leaders who are leaning into their teams in a way that encourages humanity into the workplace. They are creating safe spaces to work in where healthy culture isn’t about superficial free fruit baskets or gym memberships, but embraces practices that create trust, collaboration, genuine inclusion and a place where people feel genuinely heard and seen and want to be a part of.
Now, don’t get me wrong – while this change to a more heart-centred leadership sounds like sunshine and roses, it is without a doubt more challenging than the old school power over model. This humanistic change requires leaders to truly know themselves, warts and all, and be willing to step into any uncomfortable place with curiosity, transparency and a willingness to be unafraid of awkwardness, mistakes and collective accountability. This way is not without dedicated planning, work and a solid commitment to what can be a bumpy ride to good culture. In my experience, the journey towards this way of leading is underpinned by 7 core pillars that will guide your team towards a culture of psychological safety, trust, solid relationships and a shared vision for the work you are doing together.
Authenticity – when you’re really trying invite your team to show up as their authentic selves at work, you as the leader need to commit to doing the same. Authenticity invites us not to think about ourselves, but to consider how our distinct perspectives, personalities, backgrounds, and experiences make us better together. Authenticity assumes that people are imperfect and that most of us will make mistakes or not be at our best at some point. A commitment to authenticity isn’t about hiding mistakes or needing to be perfect, but embraces imperfections and hiccups as normal, teachable moments where we can help one another to learn skills and strengthen psychological safety through transparency and kind accountability.
Self Awareness – perhaps the greatest superpower a leader can have is deep self-awareness. Without self-awareness and the ability to manage our emotions, we can unknowingly lead from hurt, not heart. Not only is this an exhausting place for a leader to work from, but for the people around us, it creates distrust, disengagement, and an ‘eggshell’ culture. Brene Brown says it best, ‘who we are is how we lead.’ By knowing your values, personality, needs, limits, habits and emotions, and how they affect your actions and the actions of others, you are able to manage yourself and how you show up, make grounded decisions and ultimately lead others to do the same.
Resilience - Resilience is the ability of people, teams, or systems to adapt, thrive, and/or return to their baseline faster after difficult experiences happen. Many think of resilience as a personality trait, but it is in fact, a skill set that can be learnt and developed over time as an individual or collectively by a team. Leaders who create a culture of safety and trust will nearly always have a resilient and adaptable team. Setbacks, disappointment, and the reality of working with trauma require a leader who has a firm understanding of their own resilience to be well positioned to instil the same within their team.
Be the Calm in the Storm – When you lead people who work with trauma and people’s greatest challenges, it is crucial that you thoroughly understand the impact of that work. Working with people who are hurting, who are struggling, who are in pain will impact your team. It is not a matter of IF, it is a matter of WHEN. As a leader in human services, our greatest role is to provide a place of safety and calm. To ensure our teams are aware of and equipped for the work but are also met with a very clear system of support within the workplace. Clear policies, procedures and pathways for support are imperative in our work. When we scaffold this structure with space to regulate, breath, reflect and grow, we grow healthy and balanced practitioners. When we lead from a place of calm and groundedness we show others how to be the same.
Courage – You can’t have a courageous culture without a courageous leader at the helm. A courageous leader knows themselves, is brave enough to show up in the most uncomfortable moments and welcome feedback, truth and transparency and be willing to give the same. Courageous leadership isn’t performance drive, it is people driven. It doesn’t hide behind a big desk, it is found in the trenches and understands every element of the work being done by people in the organisation. Courage isn’t quite, it doesn’t sweep anything under the carpet, it steps up, leads by example and leans into the hard stuff with integrity and a genuine want to do things the right way, not be right all of the time.
Being Allowed to Make Mistakes that are balanced with Accountability – The safest places I have ever worked are the ones where I have been allowed to learn and grow. Where I’ve been allowed to get things wrong, as long as being accountable and committed to learning to get things right. Leaders who demand perfection create a culture of fear, squash creativity and lose the trust of their team. Perfection is an destructive illusion. Good leaders build cultures where accountability is crystal clear and mistakes are ok and talked through. Where feedback and difficult conversations are crucial and where there is safety to repair and rebuild relationships.
Legacy and Leaving the Door Open – No one stays in one place forever. Leaders with a genuine care for their organisation and people think beyond themselves and prepare others for leadership. Encouraging and mentoring emerging leaders in a meaningful way is an invaluable investment in the future of your organisation and teams. Heart-centred leaders not only leave the door open for others, they put out the welcome sign, stand on the door mat and invite people in to the next exciting chapter of their career with warmth, enthusiasm and generosity.
If you are inspired to be a heart-centered leader, Work Within can help you to grow and develop these skills. For more information email Amy at amy@workwithin.com.au.
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