Today I met with a voice coach. I figured, I take my car in for regular maintenance, so as a speaker and coach, I should get a check up on my voice.

One of the things he recommended was watching this TED talk with Benjamin Zander. I just love Benjamin Zander. His life, enthusiasm, and passion are contagious.

My voice coach said to watch for the “shining eyes” part near the end. I was surprised to realize Zander is talking about leadership. He’s talking about how as a conductor he knows he’s being effective with the orchestra. He looks for the “shining eyes.”

The whole video is worth watching, he drops a few other leadership tips in it. But if you’re short on time, check out the last 5 minutes of the video. Then ask yourself: Are the eyes of the people you lead shining? If not, think about how they can shine again.