Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Leading from the Heart

In every organization, there are two invisible forces shaping how people show up: fear and belonging.

For decades, fear has driven how we lead, motivate, and measure success. But a quiet revolution is underway—one that replaces control with connection, and compliance with compassion.

Few leaders embody this shift more fully than Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia and author of Be Yourself at Work: The Groundbreaking Power of Showing Up, Standing Out, and Leading from the Heart.

In this episode of Passion Struck, Claude joins me to explore what it means to lead from the heart, why authenticity is the new currency of trust, and how the courage to be yourself at work can transform both culture and performance.

Why “Being Yourself at Work” Is the Leadership Revolution We Need

For too long, we’ve been conditioned to believe that professionalism requires armor—to suppress emotion, minimize vulnerability, and perform perfection. The problem is that this “work persona” quietly drains energy, creativity, and a sense of belonging.

Claude Silver challenges that illusion. In Be Yourself at Work, she argues that the greatest act of leadership isn’t projecting strength—it’s revealing humanity. When we allow people to bring their full selves to work, we create space for authenticity, which is the birthplace of trust.

“Work and life aren’t separate,” Claude shares in our conversation. “You can’t be one person at home and another at work and expect to feel fulfilled.”

When people feel safe to be themselves at work, innovation accelerates. Empathy expands. And teams evolve from transactional to transformational.

The Secret Language of Connection

So what is this secret language? It’s not charisma or eloquence. It’s empathy made visible.

When two people truly listen to each other, their brains begin to sync in rhythm and emotion. Neuroscientists call it neural coupling. It’s the invisible dance that happens when you feel deeply understood.

John R. Miles connects this to his M.A.T.T.E.R. Framework, which shows how giving others your time and energy communicates one simple truth — you matter. Listening, in its truest form, is how we tell someone they are seen.

Charles shares a practical way to begin:

• Ask genuine questions that reveal curiosity, not control.
• Reflect back on what you hear and name the emotion behind it.
• Match the emotional tone before guiding the conversation.

These small actions build what psychologists call psychological safety — the soil where trust grows naturally.

Leading from the Heart: Where Empathy Meets Action

Claude’s journey to leading from the heart began the moment she stopped chasing titles and started chasing truth. Early in her career, she realized she no longer wanted to sell products—she wanted to serve people. That revelation led her to approach Gary Vaynerchuk with a bold request: “Let me take care of the heartbeat of this place.”

That conversation led to her being named Chief Heart Officer—one of the most human titles in corporate America. Her mission wasn’t to manage people; it was to connect them.

“Every day,” she told me, “I wake up and think: how can I make people feel seen, safe, valued, and heard today?”

That’s the essence of leading from the heart—turning empathy into action. It’s not soft leadership; it’s strategic compassion. Studies consistently show that employees who feel connected to their leaders are 23% more productive and 3x more likely to stay. Claude’s approach proves that kindness isn’t a distraction from business outcomes—it’s the multiplier.

Belonging Isn’t a Buzzword—It’s a Biological Need

One of the most profound lessons from Be Yourself at Work is that belonging isn’t a perk—it’s a biological need. Neuroscience shows that exclusion activates the same brain regions as physical pain. In other words, when people feel unseen or undervalued at work, their bodies experience it as harm.

Claude calls belonging “a verb.” It’s something we create intentionally, moment by moment. Every acknowledgment, every check-in, every moment of empathy becomes a thread in the fabric of culture.

As I discussed with Claude, belonging and mattering are deeply intertwined. You can’t truly belong until you feel that you matter—and you can’t matter until you belong somewhere that values who you are. When organizations align both, people don’t just do their jobs; they bring their genius.

The Ripple Effect of Leading from the Heart

When leaders lead from the heart, it creates a ripple effect that changes everything—from morale and retention to innovation and impact. Research supports this: teams that experience empathy from their leaders show 50% higher engagement and 40% lower burnout.

Claude’s approach is deceptively simple. “The more love you put into people,” she says, “the more they give back—to you, to the team, to themselves.”

Love isn’t weakness; it’s wisdom. It builds trust faster than any incentive program ever could. And it reminds us that leadership isn’t about hierarchy—it’s about humanity.

That’s what makes Be Yourself at Work more than a book. It’s a call to action. It asks each of us—leaders, teammates, creators—to replace fear with empathy and expectation with empowerment. Because when you lead with your heart, people follow with theirs.

The Three Emotional Pillars of Heart-Led Leadership

In Be Yourself at Work, Claude outlines three emotional pillars that define authentic leadership:

1. Emotional Optimism

It’s the ability to see possibilities even in pain. Emotional optimism doesn’t deny hardship—it redefines it. Claude explains, “Optimism is a choice to believe that something good can come from something hard.” When leaders model this mindset, it creates psychological safety—an environment where people can take risks without fear of punishment.

2. Emotional Bravery

To lead from the heart is to lean into discomfort. It’s the courage to have hard conversations, to admit when you’re wrong, and to choose vulnerability over validation. Emotional bravery is contagious; when leaders display it, others follow suit.

3. Emotional Efficiency

This isn’t about rushing through emotions—it’s about processing them productively. Emotional efficiency allows leaders to respond rather than react. It’s how you stay grounded in chaos and help others do the same.

Together, these three pillars redefine what effective leadership looks like. They’re the backbone of Claude’s mission—to create cultures where people don’t just survive, they thrive.

Integrating Heart-Led Leadership into Your Life

Whether you manage a team of 100 or a family of four, the principles of leading from the heart apply everywhere. Start small.

• Check in with people before checking off tasks.
• Practice listening to understand, not to fix.
• Ask yourself daily: Who needs to feel seen today?

These micro-actions are what build macro impact. And over time, they help us not just be ourselves at work, but become our best selves because of work.

RESOURCES FROM THE SHOW WITH CLAUDE SILVER

Please note that some of the links on this page (books, movies, music, etc.) lead to affiliate programs for which The Passion Struck podcast receives compensation. It’s just one of the ways we keep the lights on around here. Thank you so much for being so supportive!

1. Claude Silver’s Site and Social HUB
2. Claude Silver’s Book ‘Be Yourself at Work’
3. *Free companion tools on The Ignited Life (Substack): theignitedlife.net
4. *Passion Struck Network: creator-first shows built around mattering, not metrics—passionstrucknetwork.com
5. *Apparel with a message: StartMattering.com — “You Matter. Live Like It.”

Claude Silver – Chief Heart Officer, VaynerMedia

Claude Silver is the Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia, where she works alongside CEO Gary Vaynerchuk to build one of the most human-centered company cultures in business. As one of the first executives in the world to hold this title, Claude’s mission is to infuse empathy, belonging, and emotional intelligence into the fabric of leadership and organizational life.

Before becoming Chief Heart Officer, Claude spent over 20 years in advertising and people development, leading large-scale teams at agencies including J. Walter Thompson, Publicis, and VaynerMedia. Today, she is a sought-after speaker and thought leader on emotional bravery, authentic leadership, and creating cultures of care. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Inc., and Fast Company, inspiring leaders to bring their full humanity to work and empower others to do the same.

Keep the Ripple Going

You can listen to the full episode of Passion Struck featuring Claude Silver wherever you get your podcasts.

For deeper reflection and weekly insights, subscribe to The Ignited Life. It’s where I share the psychology, science, and soul behind intentional living and leadership.

And don’t forget—my new children’s book, You Matter, Luma, is now available for presale. It’s a story about courage, kindness, and the ripple effect of knowing you matter—a message that beautifully mirrors Claude’s vision of heart-centered leadership and belonging.