"It's a matter of how to be, not how to do.”

"It's a matter of how to be, not how to do. We spend most of our lives learning how to do and teaching other people how to do, yet it is the quality and character of the leader that determines the performance, the results."

These profound words come from Frances Hesselbein, the pioneering leader who transformed the Girl Scouts of the USA as its CEO and later served as the President and CEO of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management (now the LEADER TO LEADER™ Institute). Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the United States, by President Clinton for her exemplary leadership, Hesselbein was described by Peter Drucker himself as "the best CEO in America."

Hesselbein reminds us that while skills and strategies matter, true leadership stems from who we are at our core. In a business world obsessed with tactics and techniques, she shifts our focus to character, integrity and values.

As leaders, we often invest heavily in developing our teams' technical abilities, the "how to do." But Hesselbein challenges us to consider: Are we equally invested in cultivating the "how to be" - both in ourselves and those we lead?

Hesselbein's wisdom reminds me that leadership is expressed in each small moment and interaction. It's not just about what we achieve, but how we conduct ourselves along the way. The cumulative effect of these moments - our presence, our responses, our values in action - shapes both our leadership identity and our impact on others.

When was the last time you reflected on the leader you're becoming, not just the results you're achieving?