The leaders who inspire me reach to hold firmly onto their core values while stretching to find new ways to put them into practice.
Leaders need to remember who we are. They help ensure that we do not forget the values that light our hearts on fire. More than finding the right words or hitting the right numbers, our shared core values engage us.
Goals which are not connected to who we are become frustrating and discouraging, not motivating.
It takes a great deal of hard work to discover the values we share. Leaders need to invest the time and effort it takes to know themselves and the people around them. That is not enough by itself.
Leadership is not passive or static. Leaders put values into practice in new ways every day.
The leaders who inspire me are not icons. They are not symbols who point the way toward their own core values. The leaders who inspire me constantly turn their values into objectives and actions that reflect them.
There are people alive today who were born when the only way to hear a symphony orchestra was to attend a live performance. Within their lifetimes, their options have exploded. Wax cylinders, vinyl records, radio, television, audiotapes, compact discs, digital recordings; who can imagine what will be next?
Each innovation helps us hear the same music in a new way. Each day, leaders help us translate our values into new actions.
The leaders who inspire me do not lose sight of the values we share. At the same time, their eyes are open to see new possibilities.
Are you stretching to reach for what is next today?
How are you translating your core values in innovative ways?
[Image by Edvvc]
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