Journal of Texas School Women Executives, Volume I, Issue 1 2012 organization to anticipate trends, be adaptive, proactive, and innovative. Insight comes from establishing relationships and being attuned to people. All three are necessary and are the fountainhead of wisdom. If asked, people usually define great leaders as those that made a difference. These leaders changed conditions and left something that lasted. Our nation and our profession are longing for leaders who not only want to make a difference but also are willing to do whatever it takes to be transformative. A last thought from Jinkins and Jinkins is that ―the ultimate purpose of leadership is not our own survival, but the transformation of the communities, the societies, and the institutions and organizations we serve. If we lose sight of this reality, we should leave leadership to others who have passion enough, character enough, and the necessary respect for public virtue required to lead‖ (1968, p. 193). Warren Bennis has put it rather succinctly, ―So the point is not to become a leader. The point is to become yourself, to use yourself completely—all your skills, gifts, and energies—in order to make your vision manifest. You must withhold nothing. You must, in sum, become the person you started out to be and enjoy the process of becoming‖ (2005, p. 105). In the end, a new professionalism will emerge when those within the profession embark on a personal journey of discovery where growing, changing, and developing competence and virtue are essential components, and the threads of leadership and spirit are woven into a tapestry of perfection.
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