This is the second article in a three part series exploring the ways we are all leaders, even if our work responsibilities don't include directly managing others. This month we will look at one of the more obvious ways we end up leading by example through the values and behaviors we show to other members of our family. Whether you are a parent, an adult helping to care for your elderly parents or just a member of a family, you are actively playing a leadership role.

As a mother of two young girls, I am becoming very aware of the influence I have on them. Especially since my oldest daughter, who is 3 1/2 has gotten in the habit of pretending to be "Mom." You just can't know how silly you sound until you hear a 3 year old regurgitate your words to their younger sibling. Although it doesn't always seem so, kids do pay close attention to their parent’s behavior, and they use what they learn to determine how to act themselves.