I’m curious: where in your life are you leading from your head… but not your heart?

Today we’re joined by Qiana Sanders — a data science leader, classically trained violinist, and proud Black trans woman from Detroit — for a conversation that’s equal parts practical and deeply human.

Qiana says “success is on the other side of service,” and she lives it. We talk about servant leadership as something you do (not something you claim), why “being a leader is a verb,” and the KPI that might matter more than any dashboard: Key Performance Heart Indicators.

You’ll hear us unpack:

• how to “engage the heart” on real teams (especially under pressure)
• how to read what people are not saying — not just what they are saying
• the lost art of one-on-ones
• why so many of us walk around with a “representative” instead of our real selves
• and what it takes to stop shrinking, stop judging, and start living out loud

The invitation for you with this episode:

Wake up and like yourself. Love yourself, actually. Then, lead from there. Thank you all for being here on this journey — let me know what this conversation brings up for you!

CONNECT:

Follow Julio on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Book Julio to speak, coach, or consult at ⁠letsgowithjulio.com

CREDITS:

Theme song: "You Are The One" by ⁠Nick Deutsch⁠

Produced + edited: ⁠Rikki Gunton⁠

0:00 Intro: Leading With Integrity, Grace, and Heart

3:34 What is Servant Leadership?

5:11 The Key Performance Heart Indicator

5:30 Knowing Who You Are & Living Out Loud

12:00 Being Naturally of Service

13:33 Everyone’s a Leader in Their Own Way

13:59 Unlocking the Potential of Others

15:19 Humility & Vulnerability Are Inherent in Servant Leadership

16:29 A Leader’s Job is to Engage the Heart

20:43 Having an Orchestral Mindset - What Are You Not Saying

22:18 You’ve Got to Be Excited About You

25:42 Calling People In

27:23 More on the Orchestral Mindset

30:36 Newton’s Third Law

31:10 Building Trust

32:00 Giving & Receiving Real Feedback3

7:00 The Agency to Go Higher

38:57 How to Improve Your One on Ones

44:50 Staying Grounded Through Opposition

48:44 Creating Joy For Yourself & Others

50:22 A Message For Those Transitioning

53:05 Challenging the Idea of Needing to Be Fixed

56:06 Judgment as a Mirror

01:04:24 Showing Up With Grace

01:06:42 Heart Work as an Act of Courage