“Those who can, do. Those who can’t do, teach.” I have always hated that expression. It belittles one of the most noble professions anyone could choose. However, I have recently come to see that there is a kernel of truth buried within it. That truth isn’t that teachers are unable to do things. Rather, it is that teaching requires an objectivity and perspective that is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve while we are consumed with doing that thing.

I learned this lesson while in the process of writing my recently released book, If You Will Lead. For almost a quarter of a century, I had been leading and managing people. I was successfully “doing” it. For several years before I started writing If You Will Lead, I had toyed with the idea of writing a book. I could never get traction. I knew generally what I wanted to say, but I couldn’t figure out how to say it.

My problem was that I was so focused on the doing that I was unable to articulate my ideas in a way that would help others learn. I could not teach. And I realized that stood in the way of more just writing my book. My inability to teach undermined my ability to lead. Teaching is integral to leading, because leadership is about helping others learn and grow.

This realization enabled me to see the truth within the lie, “Those who can’t do, teach.” It isn’t that they can’t do. Great teachers have the wisdom to recognize that to truly understand something in a way that they can teach others, they must maintain their perspective. They understand that when we are doing, we often get too close to something to see it in its entirety. By choosing not to do, they become better teachers.

As another school year comes to a close, take a moment to celebrate and appreciate those extraordinary leaders we call teachers. Thank them for what they do and for what they don’t. Learn from them. Consider how to gain the perspective you need to help those you lead to learn and grow. Think about how to become a better leader by doing less and teaching more.