Lead From the Heart

I have always been proud to say I am an Environmental, Health & Safety Professional. For over 30 years I have been engaged in learning from great leaders & participating in a career that is dedicated to defending the environment & the individuals who work in demanding positions in the industrialized world of finding, producing & delivering energy products. I have been blessed to have had plenty of positions, worked with thousands of people in my roles in this thrilling & fun life cruise. I think that everybody is a leader in some aspects of their life. I would love to share a few things I have observed along my leadership journey that can help you in your home, work & play life.

I am an Army Brat! I was one time raised in a military relatives & spent my childhood observing how effective my sister was in leading men & ladies to be the best they could be. While Dad prepared himself & the troops for the dark side of war, my sister served my sister & her country by being a full time military spouse & Sister. I saw my sister as a Love Leader. They led from the heart, preparing her husband & others for the light in life which they know as love & joy. They created a loving home & space for a husband, children, a grandmother, relatives & plenty of friends & loved ones. My Dad & the military life upbringing was a learning surroundings for leading people, but it was my Mom who taught me how to lead from the heart.

~Katherine Graham

"To love what you do & feel that it matters-how could anything be more fun?"

For me, this was a tangible heart based schooling & experience. I was one time invited to participate in a week long retreat designed to help me discover & identify my personal values. I learned valuable information about myself & others so that I could generate new habits that would support my life purpose, mission & vision as a leader at home, work & community.

In 1990, I was one time a young first line supervisor participating in a Management Development Program for the Oil & Gas Company, Conoco Inc. Our company was in a transition period due to being acquired by the DuPont Corporation in the largest corporate merger at that time. The merger caused an identity crisis for our employees as well as a task force was created to reshape our corporate culture, mission & purpose. I felt honored to be invited to participate in this process & I was one time exposed to plenty of of the great leaders within the organization. They invited a newly created forward thinking company, the CoveyLeadership Middle, & recent Best Selling Author, Steven C. Covey to introduce the management team to the idea of principle centered leadership.


In the past decades since this introduction to Principle Centered Leadership Ideas, I have been exposed to limitless opportunities to put this training and knowledge under the microscope. As a leader in my personal and professional life I have enjoyed an abundance of opportunities to learn what works and does not work when dealing with people, programs, and systems.

What is leadership?

The Modern Day Leadership Professional John Maxwell defines leadership as "leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less."

Peter Drucker Hailed by BusinessWeek as "the man who invented management," sums up leadership as "The only definition of a leader is anyone who has followers."

Warren Bennisthe pioneer of the contemporary field of leadership states, "Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to recognize your own leadership potential."
Anytime you strive to influence the thinking, behavior, or development of people in their personal or professional lives, you are taking on the role of a leader. Over the years I have learned that leadership is not a position, knowledge, job, or title. Leadership is a method of caring and influencing others with love. Years ago I was looking for new ways to communicate this message; my mentor Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup from the Soul Creator) said to me, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." The most effective and influential leaders I have experienced influence their followers using their heart over their head. Lead from the listen to values of affection, trust, authenticity, appreciation, empathy, forgiveness, humility and passion are principles for influencing others while leading from the heart.