"Head" vs. "Heart" Decisions in Choosing a Leader

I was talking recently with someone I have a huge amount of admiration for because of the good work he's done in our community for many years. He's also just one of the "good guys". Part of our conversation was about how different organizations choose leadership, what seems to work and what doesn't. I've been mulling over this conversation for several days now and also using it as a template to compare some recent experiences and observations of my own. The essence came down to "head" (logical) decisions versus "heart" (emotional) decisions.

Both logic and emotion are valid, give us important information, and lead us in particular directions. Neither of these approaches to life is right or wrong. It comes down to what we value most and whether we recognize the validity of both ways and try to integrate and balance them. Our western world model comes down heavily on the sole validity of logic, facts and process. We learn from a young age that facts, knowledge and education are the most important things in life. Emotions are usually those things you keep to yourself and push down. Properly channeled and used, however, emotions can be the engine that moves mountains and I would propose that no creative endeavor can be successful without it.

If we can agree that there is a validity in honoring a balanced approached to decision making utilizing both logic and emotion, then perhaps we need to look at how we select leadership in the organizations we are part of. Can we find a leader that has enough of the hard skills to master the nuts and bolts of the position yet possesses the soft skills required to really connect with people? Are those involved in the selection a diverse group in their use and propensity toward logic and emotion so that the process isn't heavily biased toward one side? Are we honest with ourselves in acknowledging that we've chosen someone who is stronger in one area than another and what the consequences of that may be? Without recognition of the area of "weakness" we cannot truly assist that person in being successful.

Interesting questions that will be leading me to look at the ways I make decisions and whether I am listening to both my head and my heart.