Sizzling in the vegetable stir fry, the tofu looked bland in the pan yet tasted grand on the plate.

How come?

Think of Tofu as an aromatic sponge that soaks up air-borne smells. And think of yourself as a key ingredient in that Marinating Magic Show.

Like Tofu, your leadership skills sizzle in a skillet with other flavors, seasonings and spices and bring out the best flavor in yourself and others.

After all, you become a part of all you touch and all who touch you impart something of themselves to you that lasts over time.

That osmosis shapes your thinking, guides your soul and alerts your mind to the opportunities and obstacles ahead.

In fact the people you habitually associate with “can determine up to 95% of your success or failure in life,” according to Harvard psychologist David McClelland.

And of course the people you habitually associate with can also determine how well you dance The Tofu Tango. Indeed, the more you dance with the stars ––leaders in their own fields –– the more they rub off on you –– and the more you rub off on them –– the more seasoned and spicy your leading performance can become.

For more insights on dancing The Tofu Tango –– and on the value of interacting with others to enhance your performance in particular and your leadership skills in general –– purchase a copy of THINKING Like a Leader from Amazon.com ($15 paperback and $8 E-book).

THINKING LIKE A Leader is the first book in The 3-book Leadership Mints Series designed to help leaders refresh their feeling for leading on-the-go with 5-minute stories on leadership principles called Leadership Mints that like the candy are easily accessed, quickly digested and immediately refreshing.

The other two books in the Leadership Mints Series focus on leading with empathy (LOVING Like a Leader) featuring 77 more Leadership Mints (stories) and leading with civility featuring 52 Leadership Mints (stories) (SPEAKING Like a Leader)