Broken Hearts: What Does Your Heart Say About Your Business?

“What’s in your heart?” This may seem like an odd question to ask in a business article, but I think who you are as a person will dictate what kind of business you build and ultimately what kind of legacy you leave behind. Everyone knows that customer service is important, but many companies, both large and small, struggle with this very basic starting point. Why? You cannot pretend sincerity. True customer service requires a heart (or attitude) of service. Sure, you can go through all the hurdles of proper customer service etiquette, but if you don’t honestly care, from the bottom of your heart, for your customers, they will never feel valued.

Another good example is your relationship with your staff. All managers know that they need to empower their employees and create a safe environment that encourages creative ideas and innovation. Again, many companies miss the mark on this vital success factor. Despite the well-known fact that empowered employees create better efficiencies, customer experiences, and higher-quality products, most employees are little more than drones. All they can do is follow the fine line of corporate policy no matter what common sense says. Why is this the case? Confidence. Trust is something that one has to be willing to give. Confidence cannot be learned through theory, nor can it be obtained through statistical knowledge. For a manager to empower their employees, they must trust their staff. The problem is that trust is very similar to faith, and our society has little room for faith in their hearts. Without the ability to place your faith (trust) in your employees, the only other option is to micromanage your business to the point where you, your employees, and (most importantly) your customers have no hope of being happy within your organization.

What is in your heart will always directly affect your business. Joy, optimism, faith, servitude, encouragement … all these things lead to a heart, body, mind and business ready to take on the challenges and opportunities of the world. On the other hand, fear, regret, mistrust, selfishness and selfishness create a very dark organization incapable of moving forward.

Let’s face it: the last four years have been more than tough. Our determination and strength have been tested to the breaking point. Most people wouldn’t envy you a little self-pity. The world tells us that it is okay to remain safe and pessimistic until the sky turns blue again. Do not believe this. Don’t get caught up in the idea that you deserve to be a little selfish, that your distrust is a shield, and that your attitude simply represents the brokenness you feel. I say this hypocritically because my favorite hobby has recently become wallowing in my afflictions. But I can tell you that nothing good has come of it. My productive moments do not come from my weakness; they come from my strength. Honestly, they come from having faith in something bigger than me. Regardless of where your faith is, business is a matter of the heart and if your heart is broken, so is your business. You cannot stand still and hope to be able to lead a strong organization. Yes, the last few years have made us look straight into the eyes of uncertainty and made us vulnerable to the fact that some things are simply out of our control. But that’s okay. A strong heart may not be able to avoid the storm, but it can weather it. We are not responsible for the ruins the storm created, but we are responsible for rebuilding. Now, the question remains, what will allow you to rebuild your heart?