The constant “tough” talk about not going into Syria and President Obama’s decision to seek  Congressional approval clearly conveys the challenge of becoming a thoughtful, mindful leader. Reading Nicholas Kristoff’s column today in the NYT, I was most disappointed to find that he now believes the U.S. can no longer ignore the slaughter of Syrians. Even Maureen Dowd voiced her opinion that Obama is not fulfilling his role of commander-in-chief by involving Congress in the decision to attack Syria. And, in fact, he will be viewed as a weak leader if we do not attack Syria.

What happened to our hope for a new world leadership? For leaders who were able to evaluate their decisions and and adjust direction when the consequences demanded a retreat? To renew my spirit and my beliefs about leadership, I reread Depak Chopra’s The Consious Lifestyle: How a Leader Should View Power. 

In Chopra’s words:

“Ruthless plunder and swaggering disregard for Nature’s balance aren’t things we can afford much longer. Human ingenuity guarantees that there will always be new avenues for success. Choosing to be a conscious leader doesn’t imply that your rise to the top will be thwarted. It’s really a matter of the road less traveled. We aren’t used to living with conscious capitalism, and yet our survival depends on it. Similarly, we desperately need conscious government and a conscious military. A new power base that can deliver sustainability is the key to success from now on. The only question is how long it will take for society to create leaders with enough vision to see it.”