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If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, I hope that it does not come as a surprise to you that I was drawn to a business book called Lead with Your Heart.
Truth be told, I would have read it regardless of title, because Lewis Green wrote it. I have great respect for Lewis, his business acumen and his marketing skills. I also consider him my friend.
I know what you’re thinking. A book with a title like that could easily be all fluff and no real stuff. It had the potential to be touchy-feely without making the business case.
Have no fear. Lewis didn’t let us down.
You see, this book isn’t really about peace, love and feeling groovy — but instead it is a very practical, straightforward study on how to increase profits, retain your best employees and develop customer loyalty that will last for many years.
Lewis contends (and I agree) that a values-driven organization where people (employees, customers, vendors/partners) are more important than profits — yields the best of both worlds. Happy people AND a profitable business.
Lewis serves up relevant case studies and business stories. He holds up some of the best companies (Starbucks, GE and 3M) as learning labs. And he ends each chapter with a Points to Ponder feature that captures the most salient nuggets.
You’ll find sample sales letters, discussions about strategic planning and all kinds of marketing smarts in this book. But you’ll also find the human ying to balance the business yang.
I wholeheartedly agree with Lewis’ premise — and think you will too. Leading with your heart isn’t just good for the soul, it’s good for business. Grab the book. Read it. And in the spirit of leading with your heart — share it with your team and then brainstorm how you can put it into play at your workplace.