Leadership Lesson: It Comes From The Heart

Originally published in Forbes

By Shep Hyken

The Mercy Health System has roots that go back more than 185 years when Catherine McAuley wanted to help poor women and children in Dublin. In 1827, she opened the House of Mercy, and a few years later, she founded the Sisters of Mercy. In 1843, the Sisters of Mercy expanded from Ireland and England to the United States, and in 1871, they traveled to St. Louis, Missouri. Today, the Mercy Health System is one of the largest Catholic health systems in the United States.

I had the pleasure of working with the Midwestern health system Mercy more than 20 years ago. I was honored to speak about customer service and the patient experience at a number of their hospitals and clinics throughout the Springfield, Missouri, region. It was there that I met Donn Sorensen. Since that time, Sorensen moved to St. Louis and became president of the region, and recently he was promoted to executive vice president of operations, overseeing all four states that Mercy serves.

I use the term “Mercy serves” because that is exactly what they do. They truly serve their community, their patients, and their employees. I witnessed this firsthand when I had the pleasure of being invited back by Sorensen to speak at one of Mercy’s larger hospitals. Through the pre-event work, I learned about the Mercy culture. Then, on the day of the event, I watched as Sorensen displayed leadership that was more than just strategic; it was heartfelt. As we walked through the halls of the medical center, he interacted with members of his team. Sorensen spoke to everyone – from doctors to nurses, from volunteers to security people – he knew them and they knew him. It was obvious there was a tremendous amount of admiration and respect that went both ways.

This was a master class in leadership style. At one point during that day, Sorensen presented me with a gift, a copy of a book he had just written titled Big-Hearted Leadership. Aha! That explains it. Sorensen leads with his heart, and he wrote a book about it. In that book, he shares his leadership secrets, five keys to drive success through compassion.

Most everything I write in this article pertains to customer service, and here’s why. I believe that for a company to go in the right direction with the customer experience, it must start with the leadership. If you want your people to want to work hard, to be engaged with your customers, and to have passion for what they do, day-in and day-out, then you must pay attention to what Sorensen teaches. What follows is a short synopsis of his five leadership principles behind Big-Hearted Leadership:

1. Give Your People a Structure They Can Lean On: People like structure. They like knowing what’s expected of them. Big-Hearted Leaders provide that structure. Sorensen says, “The quality of people’s work experience, which will influence the quality of their lives, is directly tied to the quality of the structure their leader provides.”
2. Be “Here” and “With”: Big-Hearted Leaders succeed by paying personal attention to their people. As mentioned earlier, I watched how Sorensen interacted with the employees. None of them were afraid to approach him. It was quite the opposite. They smiled as he came up to them. They looked forward to the few words they would exchange as he walked through the halls. Big-Hearted Leaders aren’t feared or unapproachable. They succeed by paying personal attention to their people.
3. Be Generous in Your Genuineness: Some of the words that come to mind to best describe a genuine leader are truthful, open, honest and vulnerable. Sorensen preaches vulnerability. Being open to criticism and willing to acknowledge mistakes is a powerful trait of a leader. Communicating with honesty and integrity, even when it’s not easy to do, is a trait of a Big-Hearted Leader. People want and need respect, and will work hard to earn mutual respect from a leader who is genuine.
4. Possess (and Pass On) Enduring Enthusiasm: You’ve heard the old expression, “Enthusiasm is contagious.” Big-Hearted Leaders possess a consistent, infectious enthusiasm that positively impacts others. Enthusiasm is the fuel that will keep employees’ metaphorical gas tanks from reaching empty.
5. Turn Your Organization into a Force for Good: This may be the most important concept in the book. The story of how Sorensen recognized the importance of “giving back” is powerful. The best companies are good companies. Not just for the people who work there. Not just for their customers. But also for others who are less fortunate. Sorensen says, “There is nothing that a Big-Hearted Leader can do that is more important than turning his or her company or organization into a force for good.”

These five principles are just a small sneak peek into all this book holds. When it comes to leadership, this is the way to do it. If you ever get the chance to meet Donn Sorensen, you will meet someone full of life. Someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. Someone who practices what he preaches, in all areas of life. You’ll meet the original Big-Hearted Leader.