Look at you — you’re a rising star! You’re smart and successful. People are taking real notice of how good you are in your job as an engineer, financial analyst, customer-service representative or software developer.

Life is sweet, but something is about to rock your world.

You are about to get promoted.

I just kicked-off an 8-month leadership development program with a client in Denver, and one of our topics was about the "shifts" people need to make when they step into leadership roles. Reflect on the items below: 

The hype around Lance Armstrong's confession of using banned substances brings up two leadership issues for me.

Leadership Issue #1: Winning at All Costs

Do you consider Emotional Intelligence -- self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills -- when interviewing new candidates in your organization? 

How about in the process of identifying future leaders?  

In Matthew Kelly's book The Rhythm of Life, he says...
 
"Everything is a Choice. This is life's greatest truth and its hardest lesson. It is a great truth because it reminds us of our power. Not power over others, but the often untapped power to be ourselves and to live the life we have imagined."
 
Kelly goes on to say that it's a hard lesson because it causes us to realize that we have chosen the life we are living right now.
 

I recently read an article in PR Newswire titled Study Shows the Current State of Women in Leadership. The article cited a study by The Women's College of the University of Denver and The White House Project that presented some interesting findings comparing women to their male counterparts:

From the team here at 5.12 Solutions Consulting Group, we wish you a happy holiday season and health, fulfilment, and prosperity in the new year. 

I was having a discussion recently with a group of participants in a 5.12 Solutions' Executive Coaching and Leadership Development Program here in Denver. We were making the distinction between caring (about someone) and showing interest. One results-oriented participant asked, "Can you care about someone without being interested?" 

Here's my challenge to all leaders in 2013:

WHO will you be?

It's a great time of the year for all of us to reflect on where we've been and where we want to go. The trap that most leaders fall into is that they often reflect on the WHAT and the HOW without considering WHO they are as leaders.  For example, they ask -   WHAT do I want to accomplish this year? WHAT are my goals? And, HOW will I achieve those goals?

I received the following email from a participant in a recent leadership development program.