On June 7, 2022, I underwent open-heart surgery to replace my collapsed aortic valve. By the grace of God, after an eight-hour procedure, I woke up. But I didn't just wake up; I woke up transformed. Professionally, I had been a leader for many years, but this medical scare awakened a new part of my heart, giving birth to HEART LEADERSHIP.
For years, we've been taught about SMART goals, but have you ever heard about HEART goals? Nelson Mandela once said, "A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination." Our brains and hearts are arguably the two most important organs in our bodies. While our brains shape knowledge, skills, experience, intelligence, and technical competence, our hearts drive integrity, emotional intelligence, courage, passion, authenticity, and resilience—all necessary traits of a dynamic leader.
With nearly 20 years of leadership experience, in HEART LEADERSHIP training series, I not only teach about HEART goals but also emphasize the importance of head and heart alignment. For some of us, like me, our scars are loud and visible. For others, they may be soft and silent. Nevertheless, whether loud and bold or soft and unseen, your scar doesn't define you—your heart does.