“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, yet many businesses, both large and small, struggle with this basic starting point. Why? Sincerity cannot be faked. True customer service requires a heart (or attitude) of service. Sure, you can jump through all the hoops of proper customer service etiquette, but if you don’t honestly care, from the bottom of your heart, about your customers, they’ll 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 fosters creative ideas and innovation. Once 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 strict, thin line of corporate policy no matter what common sense says. Why is this the case? Confidence. Confidence is something one has to be willing to give. Confidence cannot be learned by theory or gained through statistical knowledge. For a manager to empower his employees, he must trust his 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 put 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 happiness within your organization.
What is in your heart will always directly affect your business. Joy, optimism, faith, servanthood, encouragement… all of this leads to a heart, body, mind and company prepared to take on the challenges and opportunities of the world. On the other hand, fear, regret, distrust, selfishness and selfishness create a very dark organization unable to move forward.
Let’s face it: the last four years have been more than hard. Our determination and strength have been tested at their breaking point. Most people wouldn’t begrudge him a little self-pity. The world tells us that it’s okay to stay safe and gloomy until the sky is blue again. Don’t believe this. Don’t get caught up in the idea that you deserve to be a little selfish, that your mistrust is a shield, and that your attitude simply represents the brokenness you feel. I say this hypocritically because my favorite pastime has recently become wallowing in my problems. But I can tell you that nothing good has come of it. My productive moments do not come in my weakness; They come from my strength. Honestly, they come from having faith in something bigger than me. Regardless of where your faith lies, business is a thing of the heart and if your heart is broken, so is your business. You can’t stand in pieces and expect to be able to lead a strong organization. Yes, the last few years have made us look uncertainty squarely in the eye 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 stave off 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 your heart allow you to rebuild?