Head, Hands, and Heart

A listener's heart and head are involved in a message, and both can conceivably lead to agreement and support of the message by the listener's hands.

The head involves intellect and persuasion through logical and rational arguments. As James R. Lucas has written, "Leading with the head means that we should lead with the head by using it as a thinking tool, not a battering ram."

The heart involves excitement, passion, and fun. Perhaps that is why Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, "Nothing every succeeds which exuberant spirits have not helped to produce. Both the head and the heart are involved in getting messages across.

The hands involve creation, demonstration, and involvement. Arnold Bennett wrote, "There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul."

So whether you are an idea person, an emotional and passionate person, or an action-oriented person, you have the ability to increase your effectiveness as a leader.