Follow your instincts.

Trust yourself.

Trust what your heart is telling you.

Trust the direction your heart leads you.

On March 8th, in recognition of International Women’s Day, I had the privilege of delivering some opening remarks to a group of about 60 women and men in the Construction Industry. This breakfast event was held at our offices in Mississauga and was spearheaded by female members of our Marketing team. These women had the inspiration to invite other women from our company to breakfast on International Women’s Day and extended invitations to female employees from customer’s companies as well. I was inspired by the leadership, the passion, and the enthusiasm of these women of Cooper to take the lead and pull off a very successful event from start to finish.

Where did the inspiration to do this come from, I wondered. It is not in anybody’s job description to organize and run such an event. Nobody told them they should do it. It was not the easy thing to do.

This is a perfect example of something I have wanted to write about for some time, but frankly had a tough time getting started.

It struck me that the inspiration and the energy to do what these women did came totally from the heart. They were trusting their instincts, and they just knew this was the right thing to do. They were totally authentic in their desire and determination to do a good thing.

Leading from your heart is about leading with empathy, compassion, authenticity, and integrity. The authentic relationships that are formed by this kind of leadership not only produce positive business results, but true leadership from your heart has the power to change the world.

I like this quote:

“Lead with your heart. Genuine compassion for others will drive exceptional business results, but authentic relationships change the world.” – Caroline Tutakiewicz, Senior Director Risk Management, RBC

Leaders who lead from their heart are often driven by a sense of purpose beyond just making profits or achieving personal success. They aim to make a positive impact on their community, industry, or the world at large.

Leading from the heart can transform the workplace into a more positive, collaborative, and productive environment. It also leads to higher employee satisfaction, loyalty, and overall team performance. However, it requires constant effort and a willingness to sometimes put the needs of others above personal gain or traditional business metrics.

Sincerely,
Doug Dougherty
CEO