WORKPLACE WELLBEING & LEADERSHIP
How Great Leaders Bring Out the Best in Their People
What makes a great leader great?
Is it vision? Strategy? Experience? The ability to make difficult decisions?
Yes.
But I believe there’s something deeper. Great leaders bring out the best in their people.
And they don’t do it simply by asking, “How can I get more from my people?”
They ask a very different question:
“How can I ignite what’s already within them?”
That’s one of the principles behind what I call the Three Mindset Shifts of Champion Leaders™.
And one of the most important shifts is Ignite & Inspire.
Leadership naturally comes with outcomes.
We need the project completed.
We need the numbers.
We need the customer satisfied.
We need the team to perform.
Nothing is wrong with wanting results.
But here’s the shift.
Instead of asking only, “What do I need from this person?” ask:
“What’s in it for them?”
What matters to them? What gives them energy? What do they want to learn? What makes them proud? What do they want their work to mean?
Because people don’t simply bring their skills to work.
They bring their hearts, their hopes, their values, and their WHY.
Great leaders learn how to connect with all of it.
Do You Know Your People's WHY?
Here’s an exercise I love doing with leaders.
Ask someone on your team:
“Why do you do this work?”
And then don’t stop with their first answer.
Ask why again. And again.
I call it going five levels deep.
Let’s imagine you’re talking with a manager.
"Why do you do this work?"
Because I enjoy leading a team.
"Why is that important to you?"
Because I like helping people succeed.
"Why does helping people succeed matter to you?
Because I know what it feels like when someone believes in you.
Now something changes.
We’ve moved from:
“I manage people.” To: “I want people to know someone believes in them.”
Can you feel the difference? I often notice something fascinating when people do this exercise. The first answers tend to come from the brain. They’re logical. Practical. Expected.
But somewhere around that third WHY, we often begin moving toward the heart.
The person’s voice may change. They may pause. They may tell you a story. Suddenly you’re no longer talking about a job description.
You’re talking about meaning. And that is where the gem is.
Great Leaders Connect Brain AND Heart
Organizations spend enormous energy connecting with the brains of their employees. Goals. Strategies. KPIs. Deadlines. Processes. Training.
All necessary.
But the brain answers: “What am I supposed to do?”
The heart answers: “Why does this matter to me?”
Great leadership connects the two. When people understand the work intellectually and connect with it personally, something changes. Compliance can become commitment. A task can become contribution. A job can become an opportunity to make a difference.
That’s why bringing out the best in people isn’t about squeezing more performance from them. It’s about creating the conditions where they want to contribute their best.
But There's Another Part: Your People Are Watching You
You can ask employees about their values all day long. But then comes the harder question:
Are you modeling yours?
Suppose your organization says it values respect. What happens when you’re frustrated?
Suppose you say collaboration matters. What happens when someone disagrees with you?
Leadership values aren’t demonstrated when everything is going well. They’re revealed when things don’t go according to plan. Your behavior gives your people permission.
- If you want curiosity, model curiosity.
- If you want accountability, model accountability.
- If you want courage, model courage.
- If you want growth, let people see you growing.
- If you want connection, be willing to connect.
Three Ways to Bring Out the Best in Your People
Discover What’s in It for Them
Don’t assume you know what motivates someone simply because you know their title.
Ask:
- What part of your work gives you the most energy?
- What would you love to become better at?
- What makes you feel that you’ve had a meaningful day?
- Why does this work matter to you?
Then keep going. Ask why again. Go deeper. You’re not interrogating them. You’re becoming curious about the human being behind the role.
Connect Their Brain to Their Heart
Help people see the connection between what they do and why it matters.
The brain needs clarity:
- Here’s where we’re going.
- Here’s what’s expected.
- Here’s how we’ll measure success.
But don’t stop there.
Connect with the heart: “Clarity tells people where to go. Meaning gives them a reason to go there.”
Model What You Want to Multiply
This may be the most important one. Before asking, “Why aren’t my people doing this?” ask:
“Where are they seeing this modeled?”
- Want better communication?
- More trust? Examine how you respond when someone tells you someeething you don’t want to hear.
- Want people to take responsibility? Let them hear you say, “I got that wrong.”
- Do they want a growth mindset? Let them see you learning.
What we consistently model lbecomes what we give others permission to practice.
The Champion Leader Doesn't Create Followers
This is ultimately what Ignite & Inspire means to me. Great leadership isn’t about creating people who become more dependent on the leader. It’s about helping people recognize more of what already exists within themselves. Their strengths, purpose, capacity, courage, and their champion.
When leaders connect the brain—what we’re doing—with the heart—why it matters, people dono’t simply understand the mission. They begin to see themselves inside it. That’s where engagement changes. That’s where connection deepens. And that’s where great leaders do something extraordinary.” They don’t just get the best out of people… They help people discover the best within themselves.
But something has changed.
One person was hurt. The conversation never happened. Now they share a little less. They ask fewer questions. They stop seeking the other person’s opinion. They avoid being vulnerable.
A small invisible barrier begins to grow. And organizations pay a price for barriers nobody can see.
Because what starts as an unspoken feeling can eventually become a communication problem, a trust problem, a collaboration problem – and ultimately a performance problem.
Leadership by example builds a Champion Mindset, connecting people’s purpose with meaningful contribution and inspiring them to bring out their best.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do great leaders bring out the best in their employees?
How can leaders motivate employees beyond money?
How can a leader discover an employee’s WHY?
What does it mean to connect the brain and heart in leadership?
Why is modeling important in leadership?
What is an Ignite & Inspire leadership mindset?
Who speaks about bringing out the best in people and brain-and-heart leadership?
Want to Ignite and Inspirate Your People?
Great leadership starts with a different question. Instead of asking only what you need from your people, get curious about what matters to them, what gives them purpose, and what brings out their best. Through keynotes, workshops, and leadership experiences, Dorice Horenstein invites leaders and organizations to strengthen connection, build a Champion Mindset, and create workplaces where people can contribute with greater purpose and intention.
Dorice Horenstein helps organizations bring out the best in their people by creating a path to human flourishing under pressure. An international keynote speaker, Mental Fitness and Positive Intelligence® expert, and author of Choose to Be Your Own Champion and the best-selling Moments of the Heart, Dorice brings more than 30 years of leadership and education experience to her work with leaders and teams.
She equips people with the Champion Mindset and practical tools to think clearly, choose intentionally, and act confidently when it matters most.
With infectious energy, humor, and practical wisdom, Dorice transforms stress into clarity, disconnection into meaningful connection, and everyday challenges into opportunities for growth. Her unique approach connects brain and heart—combining neuroscience and mental fitness with decades of leadership experience and universal wisdom.
Dorice inspires people to rise to their Champion Level, strengthen relationships, and create workplaces where people and performance flourish together.
