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Who we are, in the most basic sense, is a
collection of our life experiences. That’s what
shapes us and drives the decisions we make—
from the goals we set for our company and
our teams to the strategies we disseminate,
to the way we treat the people we encounter
along the way. Our experiences, if we are intentional in our actions, create the traits that
define us. That’s why I want to fill my life with
experiences that change me—experiences that
make me a better leader, a better husband, a
better father, a better friend, a better person.
My life so far has been an amazing journey,
literally and figuratively. Growing up in Suffern,
New York, it sometimes seemed impossible
to think I’d ever leave that small village. My
parents taught me to work hard and serve
others, but I struggled so much academically
that my high school guidance counsellor
recommended I go to trade school. Instead,
opportunities continued to knock at my door.
I learned to deal with what I later discovered
was dyslexia, and I continued to work hard.
I continued to serve others, and I developed
strong, genuine relationships. And I built a
career and life that has taken me to all 50 US
states and to more than 60 countries. I’ve
worked in big business, education, politics, the
non-profit sector, and, in my current role, as a
speaker, executive coach, and an entrepreneur.
In all my travels and experiences, and in all
that I’ve learned from the hundreds of leaders
I’ve met, coached, managed, or befriended,
one theme has consistently emerged as a determiner of success: heart-led leadership. The
leaders and organizations that led with their
hearts were more successful and had better
results.
Through it all, I’ve learned that love and
results are two sides of the same coin. It’s not
love or results—it’s love-driven results. Love
in this context is simply an unselfish and loyal
concern for the good of others. If you love
what you do, the people you do it with, your
culture, your mission, your teams, your investors, your clients, your customers, then
you will gain better results. Period.
When this type of love—this heart-led leadership—is modelled at all levels of an organization,
the positive results multiply into a remarkable and sustainable for