Stay diagnostic even as you take action.
Ronald A. HeifetzRead
Exercising leadership is an expression of your aliveness... But when you cover yourself up, you risk losing something as well. In the struggle to save yourself, you can give up too many of those qualities that are the essence of being alive, like innocence, curiosity, and compassion.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True leadership stems from being genuine and alive, embracing qualities like curiosity and compassion.
This quote by Ronald A. Heifetz emphasizes that effective leadership is rooted in authenticity and vitality. When leaders hide or suppress their true selves in the quest for self-preservation, they risk losing essential human qualities such as innocence, curiosity, and compassion, which are vital for inspiring and connecting with others in leadership roles.
Themes
LeadershipAuthenticityCuriosityCompassionInnocence
In practice
Example use cases
In a leadership seminar, to inspire attendees to embrace their true selves.
More from Ronald A. Heifetz
All quotes →Your inspiration taps hidden reserves of promise that sustain people through times that induce despair. You enable people to envision a future that sustains the best from their past while also holding out new possibilities.
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The improvisational ability to lead adaptively relies on responding to the present situation rather than importing the past into the present and laying it on the current situation like an imperfect template.
Ronald A. HeifetzRead
If you find what you do each day seems to have no link to any higher purpose, you probably want to rethink what you're doing.
Ronald A. HeifetzRead
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