One of the first questions that I ask my clients when we start to work together is: “Do you think that in order to be a great leader, you need to operate in a way that conflicts with your personal preferences?” It’s kind of a trick question, because you can answer it accurately in two opposite ways. On one hand, great leadership is inside all of us, even if deeply buried. We just need to nurture and cultivate these innate qualities so that they begin to rise to the surface and guide our thoughts and actions.

But on the other hand, even if great leadership is inside of us as potential, who we are—our preferences, behavior, thinking patterns—may not be a reflection of that greatness. It is obscured and overshadowed by less desirable qualities and habits. So in order to actually become a great leader, we need to change. We need to change the way we think, the way we act, the way we interact. Essentially, we need to become a new person, even if that person is a better version of the person we already are.

This is the paradox of change. It requires us to become something new and different, but also more deeply who we already are.

As you’ve engaged with each of the dimensions of Intelligent Leadership, I’m sure that you’ve experienced this paradox directly yourself. As we discussed the vulnerability decision, for example, you might have experienced a deep resonance with the power of opening up to yourself and to others. You may have even seen how vulnerability has helped you in your own life. But you may also have been intimidated by this quality, even avoided it for most of your life. And you may have seen that if you were to bring more vulnerability into your life it would unleash a whole new level of personal strength and transformative potential.

Each dimension of Intelligent Leadership is both inside of and in front of you. It is something to be unearthed and something to be strived for. Both perspectives are true and both are important. So as you move forward in your efforts to become an Intelligent Leader, I encourage you to hold both. Understand that you can’t become a better leader—or human being—without changing. At the same time, don’t overlook the fact that your own potential greatness isn’t somewhere outside of yourself. It’s deep inside you.

Bringing the New into Being

Regardless of where you land within the paradox of change, becoming an Intelligent Leader requires change. It requires bringing something new into being. Throughout the book, I’ve provided exercises and “igniter behaviors” that you can put into practice to help cultivate each dimension of Intelligent Leadership. I’ve kept these exercises general because, in my experience, there’s no one-size-fits-all recipe for development. My goal has been to give you a deep sense of these fundamental qualities of great leadership and a set of tools that you can use to access and accentuate them in yourself.

As we conclude our journey here together, I want to leave you with one more exercise. It’s a simple formula for bringing something new into being, whether it’s a specific quality or an overall vision for yourself. You can use all of the steps in the process or just some. Whatever works for you.

The fundamental idea behind the process is that in order to become something new, it’s helpful to have a vision of what that might look like. This vision is the North Star that helps you orient through the often difficult process of change. It crystalizes the goal you’re shooting for, and gives you a sense of what, specifically, you need to do to get there.

I’ve used this process with thousands of people throughout my career, and also used it myself, and generated consistently good results. There are six simple steps:

1. Visualize: It’s crucial that you have a vision of what you want to become. This can be something specific, like becoming a more dynamic communicator. Or it could be something more general, like becoming a better leader. Whatever your vision, it’s important to spend some time to get as clear a picture as possible of what this “new you” might look like. The more details you can provide, the better. Not only will this visualization give you a goal to shoot for, but it will implicitly align you with the part of yourself that you are hoping to accentuate.
2. Record and verbalize your vision: Once you’ve clarified your vision, it’s important to write it down, using all the detail you are able to muster. This will further concretize the vision and provide you with a record that you can return to as you go through the process. After you record your vision, you should read it out loud. There’s something powerful about articulating something. Words have power, especially when spoken. When you hear your vision in your own voice, it does something to you. It makes things more real. It makes you accountable.
3. Find the gaps: As you review your vision, both written and spoken, pay attention to how it makes you feel. Are there elements that inspire you more than others? Are there components that make you feel uncomfortable or intimidate you? Your emotional responses can be a good gauge for where you are in relationship to your goal. These “gaps” between who you are and who you want to become are important. They are the areas of your vision need that may need the most attention moving forward.
4. Make a list: Once you’ve identified the “gaps” between you and your vision, make a list. Include some notes about why you added each item, including the emotional responses you may have had when you reviewed your vision.
5. Commit to change: While this may seem like an obvious step, it’s one that many people overlook to their detriment. Just the fact that you’ve come this far in the process indicates that you are, to some degree, committed to change. But there’s something powerful about restating it. You can make a pact with yourself that you are committed to actualizing the vision that you’ve laid out for yourself and addressing all of the gaps needed to get you there.
6. Make an action plan: Now that you’ve created and articulated your vision, found the obstacles to achieving it, and committed yourself to tackling them, it’s time to make an action plan. I find that simplicity is key here. Action plans should have a simple introductory statement that states what you are committing to overall. They should also include at least one step that you’d like to take to address each gap you’ve identified. You can add timelines to any element of the plan if you want, but the main idea is to create an outline of action steps that you plan to use to get to your goal.

There you have it: a simple process for bringing a vision into being. Of course, if you find that this process isn’t right for you, no problem! Everyone has a different approach to change. I encourage you to find and put into action whatever steps that are appropriate for you.

The Intelligent Leader: A Guided Visualization

As we discussed above, the first and most important step in becoming something new is visualizing the goal. In that spirit, I’d like to take a moment to go on a little journey with you. I want to guide you on visualization of what it would look like to be a thriving expression of all seven dimensions of Intelligent Leadership—to be a truly intelligent leader. Of course, these dimensions will express themselves differently in each individual. Like light shining through a prism, these dimensions are meant to reflect the unique patterns that characterize each of our hearts, minds, and souls. However, there is still value in exploring what a universal Intelligent Leader might look like to help inspire your own personal visualization. If you’d rather do this on your own without my guidance, then by all means, skip ahead to the next section. Otherwise, here we go.

Intelligent leaders are deeply connected to their core purpose. They know, intimately, why they have been put here on this earth; and this self-knowledge gives them courage to engage big ideas. Their groundedness in who they are at the deepest level makes it possible for them to express themselves in ways that are truly unique and that inspire others to think in new and different ways. They are pioneering thinkers, content with the understanding that they have but one life to make the biggest possible impact on the people around them.

Intelligent leaders understand strength to be something more than the volume of their voice or the breadth of their power. They know that true strength is exhibited when they are willing to take the risk of being vulnerable, with themselves and with others. Their openness surprises those around them, and it inspires others to follow their lead. They know that opening up is the gateway to transformation and the currency of strong and lasting relationships. They never lose sight of the fact that they can never achieve anything without the trust and partnership of others.

Intelligent leaders are those who hold the biggest possible context. They have cultivated an ability to transcend their own selfish tendencies by caring more about the many greater wholes of which they are a part. This gives them a rare kind of maturity and dignity. They feel an obligation to the mission, to their team members, and to doing their absolute best in every situation or circumstance. The breadth of their perspective creates space and confidence for others. People can take solace in the fact that they are involved, because they trust them always to make choices that benefit the most people.

Intelligent leaders understand themselves better than anyone else does. They know what unique natural talents make them powerful, and they know how to use them in the most appropriate ways. In that light, they see themselves—and everyone else—as perpetual works in progress. They understand that perfection is something to be strived for, but never fully achieved. This gives them the confidence and self-assuredness to face even their most pernicious flaws. They don’t wince in the face of negative feedback, and they see their mistakes and shortcomings as opportunities for growth—to develop themselves so that they may be of better service to those around them.

Intelligent leaders know when it’s time to act and when it’s time to hold back. While others might be frozen by fear, apathy, or a lack of care, they are the ones who step up and do what’s necessary to move any situation forward. Their courage is born of a deep pride in themselves, but not the stubborn kind of pride. They take pride in a job well done, and even more so when done in collaboration with others. Their action is always characterized by a deep passion for what they’re doing and they inspire the same in those with whom they collaborate. They consider their work to be sacred, and therefore bring an uncompromising degree of precision to their activity. They are the person whom others always count on to do things when it matters most, and to do things right.

Intelligent leaders are awake. They are ever-aware of their surroundings and the context in which they are taking action. They remain focused on what is most important, even in situations where others let their guard down. They are impervious to distraction, because they understand the value of their time and attention. Their presence is magnetic. It helps to ground others, and holds them to a higher standard of care. They are the people others can rely on always to see things clearly, because their intentions are pure and they are therefore perceiving the most objective possible take on any given situation. They see what others can’t or are unwilling to see.

Intelligent leaders know that the process of work and life is a never-ending puzzle. They are not fazed by missteps; in fact they seek them out, because they know that long-term success depends on their ability to course-correct. They hunger for learning. They strive for clarity. They are willing to change when change is necessary. They are comfortable outside their comfort zone. They are problem solvers, not necessarily due to any kind of intelligence or genius, but because they are the most willing to face problems, no matter how seemingly intractable.

I’m sure there were elements of this vision that spoke to you and some that didn’t. There were likely qualities that are already strong for you, and others that could use some improvement. All of that is natural. We are complex. Intelligent Leadership looks different in each of us. I encourage you to do your own version of this visualization. If you were to master each of the seven dimensions, what would you look like? How would you act? Don’t be afraid to be specific. Details are important.

If you can create a clear vision for yourself, you are well on your way to achieving it.

What Will Be Your Legacy?

In one of the most important scenes in Arthur Miller’s famous play The Crucible, the protagonist, John Proctor, who has been arrested for being a witch, is faced with an existential conundrum. His captors have given him the choice either to sign a confession that he is, indeed, a witch and be set free, or refuse to lie and be sentenced to death. In what is perhaps the most dramatic moment of the story, he chooses to die with integrity. When his captors ask why he’s made this tragic choice, he responds, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!” His name—his legacy—is more important to him than even his own life.

Proctor’s crucial decision gets to the heart of what Intelligent Leadership is all about. Of course, how you choose to pursue your own development as a leader, and a human being, isn’t a life-and-death matter. But to me, the stakes are similar to those faced by Proctor as he contemplated how his actions would affect his integrity, his soul. I believe that the kind of leader you choose to be has huge implications. It’s not just about you, or your personal wealth, reputation, or fame. It’s about your legacy. It’s about what kind of impact you will make on the world during your time on this planet. It’s about your soul. When you are on your deathbed, what will you think about the life you have lived? Will you be at peace? Will you know that you did all you could to leave this world a better place?

This moral question is what Intelligent Leadership is all about. You can employ all the tactics, tools, and strategies in the universe, but if you aren’t able to get in touch with this deeper sense of purpose, and then orient your life around it, then the impact you’re able to make will be severely limited. The success you’ll create will be superficial and mediocre, and true greatness will elude you.

This is the challenge of Intelligent Leadership. And it’s also what makes it so special, and worthwhile. Intelligent Leaders hold themselves to a very high standard. They don’t settle for power or charisma. Intelligent Leaders are overflowing with character, integrity, and altruism. They know that they are models for everyone who knows them, personally or otherwise.

At the opening of the book, we defined leaders as examples who others want follow. They are the lights that guide us. As we close the book, I want to encourage you to, once again, take that simple definition to heart. What kind of example do you want to be for your co-workers, your friends, your children? If humanity were to look to you for how a person should be, or live, would you be proud of what they saw?

Your answer to this question will, at the end of the day, determine your long-term success—in leadership, and in life.