Authentic Leadership at Work: Claude Silver on Leading with Heart as a Power Skill
- Jeff Hancher
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Most leadership conversations today revolve around speed, scale, efficiency, and performance. But as burnout rises and trust erodes at work, leaders are starting question if the most powerful leadership advantage is the very thing we've been taught to downplay: our humanity. In this episode, we sit down with Claude Silver, the world's first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, and author of the book Be Yourself at Work, to explore why authenticity, emotional intelligence, and human connection are no longer "soft skills," but essential leadership capabilities. Claude shares how leading with heart has helped her build one of the most influential workplace cultures in modern business and why the future of leadership depends on it.
About Claude Silver
Claude Silver is on a mission to revolutionize leadership, talent, and workplace culture. She is the world's first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, partnering with CEO Gary Vaynerchuk to drive their success. Silver has earned Campaign US's Female Frontier Award and AdWeek's Changing the Game Award, and she electrifies audiences at national and international conferences and at organizations such as Meta, Google, US Government agencies, and the US Armed Forces. She has been interviewed on dozens of podcasts and featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal.
Claude's Journey
The journey has not been a straight road. I knew at a very young age that I wanted to serve. I knew intuitively that I had a heart to help. And I was around a lot of people, like my parents and my grandparents, who had a heart to help as well. I was working at a grocery store when a regular customer told me he thought I would make a great digital project manager. At the time, I didn't know what that was, but I loved it. I loved managing people and helping them through their journey. I worked in advertising, I started a surfing company, and eventually I ended up in London with an advertising agency. In 2013, I met Gary, and I started working with him in 2014. Today, I am the CHO for VaynerX.
Becoming a Chief Heart Officer
When I started, I was one of the oldest and most seasoned workers there. I immediately led a very large team, which I love. I loved navigating the team dynamics and creating the culture. However, I realized I had lost my love for advertising. I told Gary I needed to do something different. He asked what I wanted to do, and I said I only cared about the people and the heartbeat. I ended up resigning, and three months later, he approached me and said I would be returning as his Chief Heart Officer, focusing on the culture and the heartbeat of the organization.
What experiences or moments in your journey most shaped the way that you lead today?
As a teenager, I became a leader through sports, and I found it very fulfilling. After high school, I struggled to make good decisions, so I went on a 93-day Outward Bound wilderness leadership program when I was 19. I was the only young woman with nine young men. And you don't have toilet paper out there. We all carried about 80 pounds on our backs. But I stuck with it, and I came out as an immensely changed person. I was much more confident, and I learned what servant leadership is.
What mentors helped you see that leading with the heart is not just important but also
essential to have a leadership impact?
I did not have many mentors, but there were two female leaders whom I really looked up to. I appreciated their style. They could be warm and care for their team while still being strong in the business aspects of their role. They showed me there is a place for me, because I had been told that I think too much with my heart and not enough with my head.
Describe the three pillars you teach and how they help people show up at work.
Emotional Optimism – the belief that things can get better. It is the belief that you have the agency and accountability to shape your world and your circumstances and to speak up even when you're afraid.
Emotional Bravery – The belief that you can feel your feelings and still take action. The more you do this, the more momentum you build, and the easier it gets.
Emotional Efficiency – If you can push through discomfort, you can improve yourself. Then that conversation wasn't a waste or a drain, but an investment in your future.
Q: Which of these pillars do you practice naturally in your life? Which pillar feels like it would change your life the most? Why?
How can leaders discover who they are?
Look at who you are when you are at your happiest and at your best. Be that person. Your team is not looking for perfect. They are looking for someone they can relate to.
Q: Describe a leader who let you see their human side. What did they do to help you see it? How did seeing their authenticity affect you? Your working relationship? What from their leadership style did you apply to your own?
What is belonging?
Belonging does not just happen; it has to be built. You build it by saying, I'm human, I don't need you to change who you are. We are all different, and we need to be, and we need to create the physical and psychological safety for people to belong. We have to be comfortable with showing people that we are no different than them. There's a lot of comfort in the pain that you create, and you then live in. But there's freedom in this other space. There's freedom when you say, you know what? I'm going to try something different. I'm going to speak up today. Brene Brown says it best. True belonging doesn't require you to change who you are. It only requires you to be who you are. And it's our job as the ecosystem to embrace you, not change you, embrace you. That is what we need to be shouting from the rooftops.
What are micro moments, and why are they important?
A micro moment is where culture and connection are built. It could be giving someone a high-five, asking a question about a piece of décor someone has in their office, or showing care. People don't care about foosball tables and cold brew. They care about how you make them feel. That doesn't happen in meetings; it happens before and after the meetings.
Q: Describe a micro moment you experienced this week. What happened? How did it make you feel? Describe a micro moment you initiated this week? What was the outcome?
Application Activities:
Pick up your phone and call or text 3-5 people that you haven't spoken to in a while. They could be someone you work with or have in the past, or just anyone who comes to mind. Text them and connect with them for no other reason than just sharing the love in your heart. Focus on the connection and the person, not the transaction.
Come up with a system that will help you connect and show more of your authentic self to your team. Kick off each week by sharing a fun fact. Or maybe rally your team to join you in a fitness challenge to help you stay accountable to your goals. The goal is to show the normal, imperfect, human part of yourself to build trust and camaraderie, so fine-tune the method to work for you.
Connect with Claude Silver:
Comments