Is there really such a thing as a business with a heart and a vision? Does “heart” have a place in business or is business “just business”?
Most of us who are in business, or have studied business, know the importance of a vision. I believe that heart in business is just as important as vision.
I have heard business people say “it is just business”. They seem to think that they should live two lives – one being their business world and the other their private world.
Life is life and our business is a part of that life.
I will share a story about an ex-business partner of mine as an illustration.
He believed that there was no such thing as a business with heart
This incident took place many years ago when I was fairly new to business. Our business at the time was an accounting and financial planning practice.
I was having lunch with a new client and my business partner. The conversation got around to discussing the business dealings of a prominent Australian businessman who was building an empire.
My partner made the comment that the person we were discussing was successful because he was hard and ruthless in business. I disagreed and said I believed that you should always go for a win/win situation in business and not be ruthless.
The debate went on for a while with our new client silently observing. Ultimately he interjected and said to my partner….
…”Listen to the lady. She knows what she is talking about and you will be more successful if you listen to her.” Hearing this my business partner was visibly taken back. Our new client was a very successful businessman with many more years experiencing than us.
I will always remember the conversation as it confirmed for me what I instinctively knew. A business with heart as well as vision is the way of the future for business.
Yes there is a business with heart and vision
The story of me and my ex-business partner was a long time back.
Thankfully over the years the conversations about the role of heart and soul in business have increased.
Business is not “just business”. It is an entity that requires heart, vision and values.
“People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”— John C. Maxwell
“Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile, and a grateful heart.”— Zig Ziglar
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”— Confucius
We spend a huge percentage of our life in our business. If we do not lead with our heart we will never be happy.
Namaste
Sue
PS
Remember to leave a comment
Helen Lingard says
Great Blog Sue, like you I couldn’t be part of something that wasn’t full of heart and vision.. The Heart is HUGE here… thanks Sue, always love your blogs 🙂
Sue Price says
Thank you Helen. We are so alike in so many ways. Hugs.
Shaun Trewern says
It’s fairly easy to spot the business people who don’t have their heart in what they do, and given the choice between heart or no heart I know exactly who I want to deal with. Great post Sue!
Sue Price says
I know you would choose the heart too Shaun as you have a huge one. Thanks for reading my post and commenting.
Amar kumar says
Hey Sue,
Our brand is not just our logo, tagline or colors which we use or our shapes and imagery. It’s not just our company uniforms, your web fonts, or your letterhead. Our brand is the heart and soul of our company culture. It’s the glue that make us, our. It’s actually more of a feeling, a gestalt of our company values, motives, and actions. It’s how we do it that makes our business unique and separate from the competition.
Creating a brand strategy is the basis for successful marketing and sales campaigns. We should imagine the difference in our sales force when they are really clear about what makes their products and services unique. Thanks for sharing your interesting thought with us.
With best wishes,
Amar kumar
Sue Price says
Hi Amar,
Even though I did not cover brand in this blog post of course it ties into the culture and heart of the business. I attended a webinar last night on protecting your brand on Social Media. It was covering the things not to but was interesting. As you say a brand is the soul of our company culture.
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas on brand.
Have a great day,
Sue
Rory Singh says
In this business (Online Success), having more heart than talent is what makes all the difference in the world! Great post Sue!
Sue Price says
Well said Rory I do think it makes all the difference.
Have a great day.
Mark Eaves says
Yes, business can have a heart. Glad you knew that back then and glad you keep that belief
So many others just don’t and it shows
Thanks for the post
Sue Price says
I agree with you Mark that it does show when people do not understand the importance of heart in business. Thanks for your comment.