What is this picture? Maybe blown glass? Or perhaps a color contrast X-ray? What about a rainbow? Or maybe some type of prism?

It might surprise you to know this is the inside of a common glassworm! Science is not my strong suit, but this is fascinating! This is a Phantom midge larva, known as a glassworm due to the transparent look. They are common in lakes all over the world. They can be found in the bottom layers of the lake during the day, but at night they come to the top layers of the lake.

In this fantastic picture, every detail of the transparent glassworm is on display. You can see the large dark eyes to the vessels running through the inside of its head. The two bean-shaped pieces are tracheal bubbles that expand or contract to help the glassworm swim or float depending on the time of day.

This picture gives us a good idea of what it means to be a great leader, mentor, or supervisor. The best leaders observe and listen to their people to learn things that may not be so obvious at first glance. People are not transparent. Many times we may be the exact opposite of that. However, if we pay attention to those we work with we may see the details that make them unique. Only by learning what makes each person different are you able to connect and offer what they need to be most successful.