If there’s one thing I’ve come to believe, it’s that growth accelerates faster and is most sustainable when it’s centered around people, not just profits.
I explored this concept in a conversation with Heartland’s Chris Allen on The Entrepreneur’s Studio podcast, where we discussed how focusing on human-centered leadership can transform both your team, business and life.
We talked about the shift from traditional business leadership and sales models to a model that prioritizes self-awareness, introspection, emotional intelligence, empathy, service, fulfillment and harmony. Chris and I dive deep into the path to pursuing a human-centered approach and share a bit of detail on our own personal journey.
Read on to learn what human-centered growth means for leaders, and watch the video to hear the full interview.
Lead Yourself First
Human-centered leaders start with themselves. You need a healthy sense of self-awareness to truly step into the role of a leader. You want to grow in humility and confidence at the same time.
Leadership is an inside-out game. You need to be constantly learning, iterating, and getting better at what you do. Competence is just the foundation. You need to love yourself enough to look at your journey from an objective standpoint and be humble enough to admit where you need to evolve.
Commit to regularly reflecting on your leadership journey and identifying areas for personal development. Set aside time for introspection, asking yourself key questions about the leader you want to be. Then take steps toward improving self-awareness, humility, and confidence. This practice will help you lead from the inside out, making you a more effective, human-centered leader.
Leaders who love themselves and know themselves are more human-centered and better servants.
Connect in Service
Leadership is not a job. It’s a responsibility.
Being a leader is not about us — not a title, or a promotion, or a corner office. It’s about helping other people become who they’re capable of being. Bringing it back to the idea of “human-centered,” connecting in service means putting humans at the center of everything we do. Their ideas, their values, their expressions, their experiences. That’s true for your team and your customers.
The best leaders build other leaders. Shift your mindset to view leadership as a responsibility to uplift and empower others, not just a title or position. Look for ways to support your team members in reaching their full potential by actively listening to their ideas, values, and needs. Cultivate an environment where everyone feels valued and inspired to grow.
Build Momentum Through Harmony
If you’re prioritizing your quarterly earnings and stock price, sure, that could motivate you in the short term. But is it your ultimate goal? This way of working isn’t working for many. We’re not in harmony right now. We’re in discord, disengagement, and disconnection.
Instead, we want to be in congruence. Part of my mission is to make the world of work a better place, and doing so requires being in harmony with what you really want. And that ripples outward, to be about more than harmony within yourself but harmony in consideration with your customers and the community you work in.
You can begin to build this momentum by becoming introspective. When working toward a particular goal, ask yourself: Is this how you want to be remembered? Is this what you want to be known for? And are you being authentic? Regularly ask yourself if your leadership decisions are congruent with your long-term vision and values, and ensure you are fostering a culture of connection and alignment in the workplace.
Let’s leave the world better than we found it, not squeeze it to get a number at the end of the quarter.
Don’t Start with “Why.” Start with You.
In a world that’s constantly demanding more from us, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. But as leaders, we have the opportunity — and the responsibility — to create environments where people can thrive, not just survive. By embracing human-centered leadership, we shift our focus from merely hitting targets to fostering meaningful connections, empowering others, and creating lasting impact.
Going forward, we need to lead in a way that honors both our goals and the people who help us achieve them. The future of leadership is human-centered, and it starts with us.
Are You Ready to Help Your Team Grow?
Work is constantly changing, and employee attitudes and expectations have shifted rapidly over the last few years. Your team is counting on you to improve both their employee experience and their life experience. Are you ready?
Learn how to leverage this defining moment of change to improve your performance and empower your people. Discover how you can embrace the power of human-centered leadership.
