Simon Sinek, Heartitude, and the Kind of Leader I Want to Be

I have been reading and listening to Simon Sinek for some time.

Every now and then, I come across something he says and think:

“Whao… that sounds strangely familiar.”

Many of the things Simon talks about like purpose, trust, caring for people, creating environments where people feel safe, and playing the long are remarkably close to the ideas I have been trying to build into Heartitude.

Perhaps we travelled very different roads.

But somehow, we arrived at a similar place.

And that place begins with one simple belief:

Leadership is about people.

Start With WHY. I Started With HEART.

Simon Sinek became famous for a deceptively simple idea: Start With WHY.

His Golden Circle argues that inspiring leaders and organisations don't merely tell people what they do or how they do it. They understand why they exist in the first place.

That resonates deeply with me.

When I started Heartitude, I didn't want to build another organisation where success was simply production, numbers, rankings and awards.

Don't misunderstand me. Results matter.

We are running a business, not a meditation retreat.

But numbers should tell us how we are performing. They shouldn't tell us who we are.

That is why I called it Heartitude — Heart + Attitude.

Because before techniques, products, KPIs and strategies, there is a more fundamental question:

What kind of human being are we becoming while pursuing success?

Our tagline eventually became:

Where Heart Leads.

Perhaps that is our version of starting with WHY.

We want to develop good financial professionals. But more importantly, I want to develop good people who happen to become very good professionals.

Leaders Eat Last. Heartitude Says Leaders Care First.

In Leaders Eat Last, Simon explores the idea that great organisations are built when leaders genuinely care for the people entrusted to them... Creating trust, co-operation and an environment where people feel valued.

This one hits particularly close to home.

Leadership can look glamorous from the outside: titles, promotions, stages, recognition and perhaps a slightly larger photograph on the organisation chart.

Then you actually become responsible for people.

Suddenly leadership means difficult conversations, mentoring, mistakes, disappointments and occasionally wondering:

“Why did I volunteer for this? And you begin to 怀疑人生...”

I have come to believe that being a leader doesn't simply mean people work for me.

In many ways, I work for them and with them.

My responsibility is to help people become more capable, confident, ethical and resilient than when they first walked through my door.

And if someone eventually becomes better than me?

Wonderful!!!

That isn't a threat to leadership.

That is evidence of leadership.

His Circle of Safety. Our H.E.A.R.T.

Another powerful Sinek concept is the Circle of Safety; creating an environment where people can trust one another instead of constantly protecting themselves from one another.

Heartitude expresses this through our H.E.A.R.T. philosophy:

H - Holistic Empowerment

E - Empathetic, Ethical and Enjoyable

A - Authentic Connection

R - Responsibility and Resilience

T - Thriving Well-being

Different vocabulary, yet very similar heartbeat...

I want people in Heartitude to know that it is okay to say:

“I don't know.”

“I made a mistake.”

“I need help.”

“I disagree.”

Because the moment people become afraid to tell their leader the truth, the leader is no longer leading reality.

He is leading a carefully edited version of it.

And that is dangerous.

Culture isn't what we print on a wall.

Culture is what happens when somebody screws up and how the organisation responds.

Do we blame and humiliate?

Or do we ask:

“What happened? What can we learn? And how do we become better from this?”

That is where values stop being PowerPoint slides and start becoming culture.

The Infinite Game.... Because There Is No Final Score in Leadership

Then there is The Infinite Game.

Businesses often behave as though there is some finishing line.

Hit this target. Beat that competitor. Win this award. Become number one.

Done!

Except… done with what?

There is always another year, another challenge, another client who needs us and another generation of people who need developing.

That idea sits comfortably with how I see Heartitude.

I don't want to build something that looks impressive for three years.

I want to build something that still means something years from now.

So instead of only asking:

“How quickly can we grow?”

I also want us to ask:

“What are we becoming as we grow?”

Because rapid growth without culture can simply create a bigger problem.

Heart Doesn't Mean Soft

There is one thing I want to make clear.

Human centred leadership does not mean lowering standards.

Be nice. Don't pressure anyone. Targets become optional. Everyone gets a hug and Monday meetings come with aromatherapy. (I actually did that before)

No....

Heartitude isn't about avoiding accountability.

Sometimes caring about someone means having the courage to tell them:

Theres a difference between kind and nice....

“You are capable of better than this.”

Empathy and accountability can coexist.

Compassion and performance can coexist.

Heart and discipline must coexist.

People before numbers doesn't mean numbers don't matter.

It means we don't sacrifice people merely to make today's numbers look better.

And Perhaps This Is Where You Come In.

The more I read Simon Sinek, the more I realise why his work resonates with me.

Start With WHY reminds me that purpose must come before activity.

Leaders Eat Last reminds me that leadership is service, not privilege.

The Circle of Safety reminds me that trust must be deliberately built.

The Infinite Game reminds me that we are building for something larger than the next target.

And Heartitude brings those beliefs into something I am trying to build here, in our own way.

Purpose before activity. People before ego. Trust before control. Service before title. Long-term significance before short-term applause.

And this is also why I am taking time writing this...

Heartitude is growing.

But I am not simply looking for more people.

I am looking for the right people.

People who want to succeed, certainly.... But who believe that how we succeed matters.

People who want to build a meaningful career without losing themselves in the process.

People who believe professionalism and kindness can coexist.

People who want mentorship but are also prepared to be accountable.

People who want to perform, grow, serve clients well and eventually help others grow too.

Whether you are already in financial services, considering a career change, or simply wondering whether there might be a different way to build a career in this profession, perhaps we should have a conversation.

Not an interview.

Not a sales pitch.

Just a conversation.

Because recruitment, to me, isn't about convincing everyone to join Heartitude.

It is about finding the few people who read something like this and think:

“That's the kind of place I want to grow in.”

If that's you, I'd genuinely like to meet you.

Simon calls it starting with WHY.

I call it leading with HEART.

And together, perhaps we can discover where that Heart leads.

Heartitude --- Where Heart Leads.