"If you act as you wish yourself to be, in due course you will become as you act." - William James
I think this is why role models and heroes are so important. They give us a picture of what we wish to be like, give us something to copy ourselves, help transform us into that better person we'd like to be.
One of my most significant influences as a young leader was my boss when I was just starting out as a supervisor. Rusty Schopp allowed me to experiment with strategies that made sense to me, even when they may not have made sense to him. He allowed me to learn by trial and error, empowered me in that way which I remember strongly as I manage other supervisors today.
No matter how much work piled up on his plate, he always made time for me to visit with him, and never complained.
He was extremely slow to anger. I only remember really seeing him that way once, which had nothing to do with me.
He was supportive from afar when my dad was terminally ill, then drove two hours north and back to attend the visitation.
Most of all, I remember his kindness in his winning sense of humor. My style had often been at the expense of others, but his was grounded in wittiness and respect.
He was the one who passed on to me the notion that when shaping your career, you should find someone who has a role you'd like, and strive to emulate that. Well, boss, I took it to heart.
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