From Doodle to da Vinci: Leadership Lessons in Self-Awareness and Growth
Imagine an artist starting with a blank canvas, initially painting like a toddler with finger paints. As they learn new techniques and gain self-awareness, they transition from "I have to paint" to "I get to create." Their early stick figures evolve into masterpieces, showing how understanding and practice can turn a doodler into a da Vinci.
Maya Angelou once said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Her words resonate deeply at the intersection of our mindsets and motivations. Understanding this intersection is the beginning of change. The shift from “have to” to “get to” starts with two of Daniel Goleman’s emotional intelligences: self-awareness and self-regulation. Through repetition, we learn to perceive and internalize the intrinsic value of our tasks and regulate our behaviors to perform them to the best of our ability.
When we recognize the value-add potential of our work, we can make better choices regarding our attitude and effort as we strive to “do better.” Neuroscientists use the term “brain plasticity” to describe our brains’ ability to develop over our lifetime. This means our brains can reorganize and evolve as we gain new information and perspectives.
The journey from doodler to da Vinci is gradual. It requires intentional, repetitive skill development. Similarly, shifting our perspective from “have to” to “get to” takes time. It involves nurturing a growth mindset and discarding fixed mindsets.
Purpose is the main motivator that drives action. It keeps us moving forward, taking the right steps even amid distractions. Purpose helps us internalize the intrinsic value of our work, enabling us to consistently choose behaviors that matter.
Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them.” Moving from problem-identifier to problem-solver requires a new mindset and perspective.
As leaders, our role is akin to Alfred guiding Bruce Wayne. We must teach those we lead to:
Embrace Challenges: Encourage seeing obstacles as opportunities for growth and learning.
Take Risks: Instill the courage to make mistakes and learn from them.
Value Feedback and Community: Promote an open-minded approach to feedback and the importance of community in personal and professional growth.
Over time, they will learn to see challenges as opportunities to serve the greater good. Remember: one tree can make a thousand matches, but one match can burn down a thousand trees. With great power comes great responsibility. Be the tree, not the match. Choose to embrace the repetition of excellence and replicate it in the heroes you impact every day.