“There is no way to “teach” what it means to be a leader except by being what we wish to invoke in others.” This very insightful and challenging quote is from the book, Building The Bridge As You Walk On It, by Robert E. Quinn. For me the most important word in that quote is the word “being”. We all know the idea of setting a good example and this is generally based on what we “do”. What Quinn is pointing to is the idea that it is who we are as a person, our state of being, that will most determine our actions; and that those around us can see the state of being from which we are acting. In other words, are we seen as someone doing something because we have to or because we want to? We have all had the experience of being greeted by someone who uses warm words and yet we sense its all for show. Compare that to be being given a full body hug by someone who then looks you in the eyes and says, as if from their heart, simply, “its good to see you!”. It’s a simple notion with incredibly powerful implications for us as leaders. Namely, that we must be the source, the place where the change occurs first, for whatever it is we want to see our leaders begin doing, do differently or stop doing. Are you up for it?