How was chocolate originally enjoyed?
1. In a cake
2. As chips
3. In a drink
4. As a mousse

The rulers of the Aztec Empire believed that the cacao beans were a gift from the god of wisdom. These beans were so valued that they were once used as currency and were believed to be more valuable than gold! This bitter bean was part of meals, at celebrations, or to finalize transactions. It was also believed that they were an aphrodisiac and would give the person strength. So how was it originally enjoyed? As a bitter drink.

Fast forward from the ancient Olmecs of southern Mexico and into the 16th century in Europe. At this point they started adding sugar to the cacao beans and the world of chocolate began. Today chocolate is enjoyed in just about any form imaginable. If mixed with different ingredients you can come up with all kinds of goodies using the cacao bean. As evidenced by today’s chocolate foods, the cacao bean is extremely
versatile.

The more we get to know ourselves the more versatile we can be. We can learn about ourselves through listening to others, assessments, 360 feedback, watching others reactions, etc. Just like chocolate, we can discover pieces of ourselves that are fascinating and other pieces that might be bitter. Only by knowing ourselves as leaders can we become the person we want to be not only for ourselves, but also for those we
lead.