It’s a fact of life. Most of us think we have to DO something in order to become something.
For example, we think, “When I HAVE an education, then I can DO the job, and then I’ll BE successful.” Or, “When I HAVE money, then I can invest, and then I’ll BE wealthy.” Or even, “When I HAVE a relationship, then I’ll BE happy.” As a longtime coach of high-level executives including numerous women, I often see this perspective getting in the way of advancement.
Actually, I too once believed I had to DO something to BE something. But let me tell you a story that changed my perspective entirely.
When I was a kid, my brother and I watched this boxer on TV. He’d come on, loud and brash, declaring, “I’m the greatest, I’m the strongest, I’m the best!” We thought he was a joke, a fool. How could he claim to be the greatest when he hadn’t even been in a major fight? We weren’t the only ones who made fun of him. People laughed because when he said he was the greatest, he had no evidence to back it up. No one had ever seen him fight in any major bout.
But this man understood something we didn’t: life doesn’t work from “HAVE to DO to BE.” It works from “BE to DO to HAVE.” He was willing to declare “I am the greatest” before he had any evidence because he knew that by BEING the greatest, he would DO what the greatest would do, and then he would HAVE what the greatest would have.
This man was Cassius Clay, who later became known as Muhammad Ali. He became, in life, the embodiment of true greatness. I’m embarrassed now that we thought he was a joker. Ali understood the way life works, and he lived it unapologetically.
This is the essence of noble leadership. It’s not about developing into a leader over time, following the “HAVE to DO to BE” path. It’s about BEING a leader right now, in this moment. It’s about asking yourself, “Who is the leader I am going to BE?” and then embodying that immediately.
When I work with leaders on creating their personal brand, I ask them, “Who do you want to BE as a leader?” What consistently amazes and inspires me is that they invariably reach for the highest parts of themselves. No one says, “I want to HAVE the most money ever,” or “I want to DO things to win all the prizes and accolades.” Instead, they come up with something that would inspire themselves, something that makes a difference, something bigger than a personal, egotistical trip.
This is why leadership, when approached this way, is inherently noble. I coach leaders to look for a brand that not only inspires them but maybe even intimidates them a little. Most importantly, it should pull the best out of them. It’s not about comfort or ego; it’s about growth, impact and transformation.
Your leadership brand isn’t a default way of BEING. It’s intentional. Each day, a true leader will put it on like you’d put on your work clothes. It should pull you to BE your best self, even if it feels challenging. Noble leadership isn’t about comfort; it’s about rising to meet a higher standard you’ve set for yourself.
When you lead from your brand, it informs every decision you make. Of course you have to DO things as a leader (a lot of things!), but the “DO” needs to be informed from the BE. One of my clients has the brand “Unstoppable Excellence.” When his engineering department was adding certifications and people complained, he said, “This is how we do our job. We are constantly raising our level of excellence.” He made decisions based on his brand, not on circumstances or complaints.
Another leader I work with has the brand “We make the impossible possible.” When they hit a roadblock, instead of giving up, they ask, “How are we going to work with this? How can we find a way through?” The brand guides their approach to challenges, pushing them beyond what they thought was possible.
This kind of leadership is noble because it’s not about reacting to circumstances or pursuing personal gain. It’s about creating a vision that serves something greater than oneself and living into it. It’s about inspiring others not just through your words, but through your very BEING.
I remember living in Italy and starting a newspaper there. I told my Italian colleague we needed to leave for a meeting, and he said, “You’ve been in Italy three years now. Italians are always late.” I replied, “I know Italians are late, but I’m on time.” From that moment, he treated me differently about time. He understood that punctuality was part of my leadership brand, part of who I was BEING.
Noble leadership isn’t about HAVING all the answers or BEING perfect. It’s about declaring who you are as a leader and then living into that declaration. It’s about BEING the kind of leader you would follow, the kind of leader who empowers others by their very presence.
So, I challenge you: Who are you going to BE as a leader? What’s your brand? How will it inspire you and others? How will it pull the best out of you? Remember, you don’t have to wait until you HAVE done something or HAVE something to BE a great leader. You can BE great now, by choosing a noble vision of leadership and embodying it every day. And from that BEING, your DOING and HAVING will naturally follow.
This is the true nobility of leadership. It’s not about titles, achievements, or personal gain. It’s about who you are BEING in every moment, how you’re growing, and how you’re contributing to something greater than yourself. It’s about transforming yourself and, by extension, transforming the world around you. That’s the power, the responsibility, and the nobility of true leadership.
“We need to reshape our own perception of how we view ourselves. We have to step up as women and take the lead.” — Beyoncé
By Nita Tucker
Nita Tucker has been a leadership consultant for 30 years, working with such high-profile clients as Hewlett Packard, Cisco, Motorola and SAP, with a proven track record for generating breakthrough results, both for teams and individuals. She is the author of five books and started the English language newspaper, “The Florentine” in Florence, Italy.
Learn more https://nitatucker.com
