“If the root is holy, so are the branches.”-Romans 11:16
The heart will usually determine what you do…and the head will try to tell you how to do it. The heart part is the key.
The challenge is when your head gets in the way of what your heart is telling you to do. The head operates in a totally different way than the heart. It is filled with logic paths and assumptions, and also with an ego and self-orientation. The heart to me is the feeling part.
The key is to have them in congruence. This is why I talk so often about focusing on the needs of others in the way to work. Your head will push you to focus on your needs. This is how we can get in trouble. Focusing on our own needs first can push us to act in ways that are not truly refelctive of our heart. For example, what if we are struggling financially and we are trying to complete a business transaction?
If we operate from our need, we will be focused on how we can get the other person to do the thing that is best for us. This is the opposite of best practices for long term success in business. Getting a short term win, that is not a truly successful outcome for the other party will ultimately do more harm than good.
If we let the heart direct the way, focus on the other person and how we can best help them, the head will follow in using its logic and knowledge in an other’s focused way. Many times we will then achieve an outcome that is good for both of us. But sometimes we need to be able to accept that if it is not perceived to be good by the other person, we are better off not doing business at this time.
The late Dr. Covey referred to this as Win-Win or no deal. This is a heart driven way to work that will ultimately, long term, satisfy the head too because it will lead to consistent success, an excellent business reputation, and such a good feeling in your heart that you will always look forward to your next business interaction.
When the heart is right, and the head follows, the actions will be right. The work is easy.
