Balancing Head and Heart

When I am brought in to do corporate coaching, I find that most companies struggle to find the balance between head and heart. 

Individuals within these companies often believe that in business the head is superior to heart and because of that, the yang energy is amplified in these environments. This yang/ head energy is all about action, data points, detailed analysis, it’s boisterous, stable, strong, has clarity and focus. Both head and heart have many positive attributes and both can be used for great good as well as harm. 

On the corporate side, many head dominant companies are more focused on profits than people. They strategize how to squeeze more money from the consumer instead of creating a relationship that will keep them coming back for more. When shareholders are involved this becomes even more challenging and it becomes less likely that companies will take a head and heart balanced approach. 

When the energies are balanced and infused with love, there is harmony, power, empathy, strength as well as profits. When the energies are out of balance there can be instability, burnout for employees, greater challenges or even full blown chaos. This is why it’s important to find the balance within ourselves and calibrate companies so that the values, mission, and energies are all in proper alignment. 

Humans are feeling creatures. We desire connection, authentic interactions, and like to feel seen and heard. When a company fails to create a connection by not focusing on how customers, clients and employees feel they can come across as cold and uncaring. On the other hand, when leadership brings humanity into companies by creating environments that encourage open communication, creativity, empathy and allow people within to make mistakes and learn, then we have ushered in the heart/ yin energy. This energy is supportive and when a company strikes the balance they reach more people in a much deeper way. When this bond forms it creates a healthy environment that supports all the individuals and builds a more stable foundation to create greater prosperity for all. 

The methods I have created to help individuals and companies strike this balance have enriched clients in multiple ways. Using these methods, clients have made record profits but more than just millions of dollars they have created healthier relationships and gained greater work satisfaction because many of their human needs have been met. Some of these needs include the need for connection, contribution, growth and love. 

Customers will often act with their heart. We will buy an expensive limited edition Harry Potter mug even though we have no room for it in our cabinets if it strikes a cord and reminds us of positive times in our childhood. Nostalgia is all about feelings and it generates billions of dollars annually. In addition to buying products that make us feel joy in the present, we may also purchase products that we feel will help us reach our future goals and have us feeling good. We might buy an expensive fitness bike or hundreds of dollars worth of supplements, we buy them to feel healthy or sexy. Focusing on how we want customers to feel about what we are selling or offering makes us more effective in communicating and adressing their desires and needs. 

The most loved companies I have studied and worked with have achieved a head and heart balance. They thought about how they wanted customers to feel using their products, entering their stores, opening the packaging, interacting with team members, etc. Once we have added in the heart, we can reach the proper balance by following up with head by adding facts, taking practical actions, conveying statistics and features, etc.

We have greater influence and power when we lead with warmth and kindness and then back it up with stats and benefits. This combination is why we come to trust as well as like people. When someone is warm and friendly, greets us with a smile and some light banter before getting down to business in a meeting we often will feel a deeper level of connection. We feel like we were treated like a person and not their 4pm appointment. 

Have you interviewed or chatted with someone with an impressive resume, who attended the finest schools but came off cold and unfriendly? Did it turn you off? Did you really feel like you wanted to get to know them more or do business with them? My guess is that was a no.

Meanwhile there are times when we meet someone without the qualifications the expertise but we just feel good about them and may want to give them a shot. We humans love to see the underdog succeed and we value heart. 

So what gets the sale? Overwhelmingly, it’s the person who builds the emotional connection and creates the good feeling. 

Now I want you to ask yourself- How do people feel in your presence? 

Is it different based on who you are around? 

What if you decided to try and make everyone you met feel like they are a friend? Going even further, what if you treated them like someone you deeply admire and respect… How might that change them and you for the better?