By demonstrating the potential of a new style and eliciting positive feedback, small wins start to shift the leader’s motivation from necessity (“I need to be a better communicator”) to possibility (“I’m working on communicating better because it will help me accomplish my goal”) and identity (“I’m working on communicating better because that is who I want to be”). These subtle changes help leaders become more self-reflective and persistent—invaluable traits for anybody trying to define and anchor a new self.