Lead Yourself First!

Leadership goes deeper than a job title. Leadership is a state of mind that requires discipline, self-acceptance and above all, the willingness to create change. When we are standing on the fence, knowing there is something bigger that we want to accomplish, often all that is needed is the right “push” to get us going.

I am convinced that the ability to take charge of ourselves is a gift that we haven’t lost, unless we choose to do so. I know this is true because I have experienced working for leaders who were as disengaged as their teams, or for companies that were acquired and subsequently stripped of great people and cultures that were forever-changed. I’ve also been dead-end jobs when it seemed that there was no way out. I’ve shared office space with co-workers whose drama and dysfunctional lives were a source of entertainment, realizing in hindsight that they created a great deal of chaos and toxicity.

Fortunately, I also worked with outstanding mentors who taught me invaluable lessons in business and in life. I learned about oustanding management practices, exceptional workplace cultures and values-based leadership, striving to apply their teachings in all relationships. Most importantly, my best advisors taught me that it is always possible to rise above naysayers, shift perceptions and create new outcomes.

Your professional or personal life situations may not entirely resemble those that I describe in my book. Nonetheless, I am certain that you will identify with many of my stories, business examples and real life scenarios where I describe an array of emotions that will resonate at a deep level. My goal is for you to discover and ultimately act on this simple, yet profound concept for your career, business and life: Lead Yourself First! (because no one else will.)