There is a fallacy that leaders are born. Not true. Leadership skills are acquired through trial and error and more errors. Leaders make mistakes and they talk about those mistakes and work with others to find the path forward. Leaders have awkward conversations. They make poor decisions. They learn and get better.

Leadership skills can be painful in the acquisition phase. Leaders in training can micromanage and fail to empower and engage team members.

The path forward is self-awareness, a willingness to be vulnerable, and desire to look inward. A coach can make the difference. A coach provides leaders and leaders in training with a mirror and a thought partner. A coach can also provide critical feedback regarding specific behaviors and skills ripe for development. 

 If you are interested in that journey towards leadership, email me. 

I had a rare dinner with my 80 something year old dad last weekend, outside, on the street during New York winter. A tent on Lexington Avenue, the subway rumbling underneath, is far from our usual cozy corner table. We are all learning to adapt, even my dad. Until last March, when COVID descended on New York City like a curtain, he was still doing what he loves, running the streets of New York, negotiating and doing deals. But what now? His endless optimism is tarnished. He is not alone; optimism is hard for all of us. The past year has taken a toll.

Looking for clues on a path forward, I asked one of my executive coaching clients, a member of the c-suite of a strategic consulting firm, how she maintains her resilience. She agreed it’s really hard, but suggested the following, “Oh my goodness, do I have an option? I’m looking for inspiration in unexpected places. I have worked with my team to reimagine what we do and how we do it. And as consultants we have to do that with our clients too. I am extraordinarily proud of my team. We have rallied together to move forward, to think critically. We cannot travel, we are not together, but somehow, we are finding our way through and thriving. I am not sure what the next year is going to have in store, but I feel good about the strategic direction we have mapped out and confident that our clients are finding value in our services.” My client has reimagined business. She is thinking outside the box and understands the need to engage her team at a critical time. 

Yes, this pandemic has taken a big toll on our collective psyche. However, if we are to survive and THRIVE, optimism is tantamount. We have to lead our troops, move forward and reinvent ourselves, how we do business, and what our industries will look like tomorrow. 

My dad is not running the streets of New York City right now, but he’s healthy and keeping his brain active and engaged. He’s working out with a personal trainer via FaceTime and taking meetings by Zoom. He sends me texts, we have cocktails and celebrate holidays virtually, and yes, had dinner on the street during a New York winter. Perhaps without realizing it, he too has reimagined his life and business. His longevity, steadfast optimism, and love of business: lessons for us all. 

I met with a potential client the other day. I was blown away by what she has created, her energy and drive. We had a great conversation, but it ended abruptly when she had to jump to another meeting. I am pretty sure I will not hear from her again. That is just fine, but I cannot stop thinking about her. Here’s why: As awesome a job as this leader has done bootstrapping, pulling her organization up from nothing to where it is now, what was very clear from our conversation is that she is not stopping to breathe. 

 Endless motion can only get us so far. As leaders, we have to pause, listen, think, and ask questions. We need to consider our strategy and the critical action steps that will help us reach our long-term goals. It’s easy to be in constant motion, to check off items on a to-do list. The to-do list will never end. What is far harder is to make sure that we are moving in the right direction, the direction that is mission critical. 

What I provide my clients is that breath. I am a thought partner. I ask really hard questions and encourage reflection. If you are considering executive coaching, taking a breath, and accomplishing more than just putting out today’s fires, I can help.