When I rejoined the great artist, a little while ago, I realized that, although he was very old, he still had a young heart, full of joy. He painted, as if he were overwhelmed by an extraordinary feeling, the portrait of a simple man. He seemed more pleased with himself, more rested, more poetic, I could say.

I saw how dedicated he still was to his work, touched by some state of euphoria, full of imagination to the slightest of details, full of warmth in his heart. The obvious obliges me to admit that he has more than innate talent; he has a peerless love for painting and beauty. He was an original that doesn't create his works like other artists. Not being able to resist his innate aesthetic sense, looking to be totally satisfied by the quality of his work, he made his own art, a personal style, according to his own vision, more expressive, more varied, more compact, more heart-stirring than that of many. He is so complete that, even now, those who look at his paintings have the tendency to sit and admire them for a long time.

At one point, I addressed him a question, only out of curiosity:

- What makes a painting to be valuable?

The master waited for a little, he looked up at me and told me with some smile on his lips:

- For a painting to be valuable, it must have the appearance of reality and, instantly, to convey a certain message through its main subject. This is, in fact, the most important thing: for a painting to be well-made and appreciated by art critics, the painter must bring out the main subject. In general, the painting must impress those who look at it.

Then, after a short pause, he continued:

- As you can see, Nicu, my subject is this simple man, with his flaws and qualities, which leads a normal life. Even so, in order to reveal him, I also had to decorate the background of the painting, the flower garden, the clear sky, the sun rays, and to create a color contrast between the subject and the background. I would not have had to emphasize the main subject, if I would not frame it in a proper background.

In order to give value to your leadership, you have to fit into an adequate background.

Here's an important thing: in order to become a successful leader, you first need to fit into an adequate"background". The background, which strongly reflects the transformations you go through, the professionalism you prove, the qualities you have, it is represented by the organization that you belong, by the people you lead, and can change its position and shape in time, depending on the practices you promote. If you have nobody or nothing in the background, you won't be able to shine, to stand out in relief like a true leader. Moreover, if nobody follows you, then you are just a background character, and somebody else is the main character, not you.

A leader cannot exist without his organization and his people. If you are limited by your incapacity to interact with the others, or if you try to do everything by yourself, then, sure thing, your leadership has no value. How can you be above others if you are not surrounded by anyone? How could you climb in the hierarchy of your career so that you would have a better position if you don't win people by your side, and you don't convince them to follow you? Without an adequate background, you cannot be the main subject of the “painting”.

Hence, in order to make yourself noticed and to get to the top, you have to form a team and focus on what you can accomplish together. However, do everything you have to in order to become better, and to be above others through the effects you have on them, through the intensity you influence their lives, their present and their future.

P.S. You cannot be a leader if you have nobody to lead and guide, if you are not recognized as such. Furthermore, if you do not know instinctively to fit in an "adequate background" then you will lose value.