"Lead with your heart. The rest will follow."

A.D. Posey

Imagine all the possibilities that could happen if you decided to lead with the heart.

The above-mentioned quote emphasizes the importance of following your intuition and emotions in decision-making and actions. 

It also suggests that when you prioritize what truly resonates with your heart and innermost feelings, everything else tends to fall into place naturally. 

This approach encourages massive amounts of authenticity and staying true to oneself, not wavering from the temptations.

I believe your ability to succeed becomes crippled when there's an unbalanced connection with your heart. Embracing a heart-centered approach rests with your ability to stop, look inward, and reflect upon the course of action you know is right, rather than succumbing to external pressures and misaligned sales tactics.

It's those professionals who lead with their heart and not just their wallet are able to connect with the emotional needs of their clients and prospects. 

They understand people have the need to be valued, respected, heard, seen and acknowledged.

By acknowledging and not forgetting the human element, heart-centered professionals maintain the wisdom to positively transform business outcomes by helping their clients do better business, a profitable one.

Helen Keller once said, 

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched--they must be felt with the heart."

LEARN TO SERVE

To serve is an activity done for others. It's proactive, not reactive in nature. It's about taking an offensive approach rather than defensive posturing.

Serving comes in many forms, such as helping, comforting, cooperating, and sharing. This is all about becoming action-oriented towards others for their benefit and support. 

To serve is about looking outside of yourself for ways to assist others. 

To serve means consciously choosing to make a difference. 

To serve means to be constantly looking opportunities. Many just simply miss opportunities to serve because they're not looking for them. They're closed up, too focused on themselves that it becomes difficult to see what’s right in front of them. 

Becoming a servant led professional, it's about placing the interests of others above your own.

"Service begins where the self ends."

Abhijit Naskar

I believe the art of serving is not manipulative, not deceitful nor disingenuous. 

In a sales centric manner, it's genuinely caring about somebody and their company. In your heart of hearts, you’re there to help them do better business.

Servant led professionals always do the best they can, no matter the circumstances. 

In a world riddled with excuse making, these professionals don’t wait for better timing or better tools, they use whatever they have, and they get to work. 

They understand that thoughts don’t count as service. They understand that imperfect service is much better than thoughts of service that never gets carried out. 

To serve, let's look inside Mark 10:45, 

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

I encourage you to seek out opportunities to serve others, no matter how big or small the task may be. Look for chances to brighten someone’s day, to lift their spirits, or to meet their needs.

"Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” 

Mark 9:35

In Selling from the Heart fashion, to serve, means to give a rip.

LEAD BY SERVING UP MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF CARING

Caring is deeply rooted in the servant mindset. Apply caring to your clients and future clients, watch what happens to your relationships, the interactions and the outcomes. 

Embracing a caring attitude towards your clients is not just about providing a service; it's about nurturing meaningful relationships. Meaningful relationships, drive meaningful revenue. 

The simple act of caring deepens the connection between you and your clients, creating a solid foundation for collaboration and mutual growth.

When your clients feel cared for, they are more likely to engage positively in their interactions with you. They become more open minded to feedback, more willing to collaborate, and more inclined to recommend you to others. 

It’s OK to not care about what doesn’t matter — as long as you do care about what does.

People, caring is not hard. It's saying, 

"I'll be here for you at all times. I have your best interest at heart."

Deeply invest, authentically care and simply give a rip about the experiences your clients have with you, and then watch your relationships skyrocket.

“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.

Robert Greenleaf

The greatest gift a servant professional can give, is to give of themselves. 

Are you willing to give of yourself without expecting anything in return?

How willing are you to serve others? And if you answered, "I'm willing" then what's your guide?

LEAD BY SERVING UP THE INNER CIRCLE

Those who are authentic, those who lead, and those who are committed to helping their clients do better business, bring to them their inner circle, their centers of influence. 

They connect them with the other clients they know that can help them do even better business. This is truly serving with the heart.

Professionals who prioritize the well-being and success of their clients often find themselves attracting other like-minded individuals into their inner client circle. 

This inner circle, comprised of trusted contacts and centers of influence, becomes a valuable network that facilitates connections and collaborations amongst their clients and network.

By leveraging their network to connect clients with others who can help them blossom, these professionals not only demonstrate their commitment to serve but also foster a collaborative environment where everyone truly benefits from shared expertise and resources.

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself… Serve and thou shall be served."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

When you intentionally serve with and from the heart, it will always come back to you. Sometimes in sales, sometimes in referrals, sometimes in personal and business recommendations. 

When you do good, people notice. Conversely, they also notice when you don’t, and trust me, they can be very vocal about it.

Prioritizing serving others with sincerity and dedication, fosters trust, loyalty, and goodwill.

THE TIME IS NOW TO LEAD WITH YOUR HEART

 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves."

Philippians 2:3

In a world where some in sales are viewed with negativity, an authentic, real-deal approach is a breath of fresh air. It may result in losing a few battles, but those who put their hearts and clients first are guaranteed to win the war.

Leading with your heart and serving from your heart is crucial in today's environment, especially in a landscape where skepticism towards sales tactics is prevalent. 

When you prioritize building authentic relationships while serving the needs of your clients, you not only differentiate yourself from the stereotypical pushy salesperson, but you also build trust and credibility.

• A servant led professional has a sincere desire to serve.

• A servant led professional is all in.

• A servant led professional is focused on serving the needs of the person sitting in front of them.

Leading with your heart creates long-term sustainability, success and ultimately ensures victory in the ongoing battle for client trust and loyalty.

Originally published on Larry Levine's LinkedIn.