I might show respect to you by offering praise while secretly admiring myself, or I might genuinely respect you from the heart.
I might decide to implement a new ERP for my organisation to leave a personal legacy, or because I genuinely want to enhance customer experience and efficiency.
I might get involved in philanthropy to boost my popularity, or because I sincerely want to serve a cause.
In all these cases, the actions are the same, but the intent behind them is different. And that intent makes all the difference—it shapes the quality of our decisions, leadership, and outcomes.
As leaders, we must recognise these inner motives, both in ourselves and in those we engage with.
