We’re wrapping up an important season.
In some ways it’s the completion of a whole year.
And whether you have kids in school or not, everyone’s feeling it.
In many ways, August is the other New Year. It’s a fresh slate.
And as we like to say about January, you’re not actually supposed to have arrived by now. But you are transitioning. With all of that comes the mixed bag of feelings we’ve been working to name about a new season:
The disorientation.
The excitement
The grief.
The anticipation.
Most of us want to step into what’s next — as soon as we can see clearly through the fog.
So there are two things that come up for me here:
There’s the grace for the transition — you haven’t arrived, yet.
AND — we should still be thinking of what’s next.
We want to be on our way somewhere.
It’s the whole point behind leadership.
Leadership is not about how many reports you have or how big an organization you sit at the helm of. At its very core, it is about how you CHOOSE to be and do in the roles you serve.
As a parent.
As a partner.
As a team lead.
As a daughter or son.
As a friend.
As a CEO.
As an employee.
Leadership always asks:
How am I doing?
What’s working in my leadership and what’s not?
Where do I have influence and relationships and results and where do I find that lacking for me right now?
This quote came up in a coaching session last week, and it hasn’t left me since:
“Leadership begins by asking: What part of the problem am I?”
It’s not about blame. It’s about agency.
It’s about understanding your role in the story — when things are or are not going the way you’d hoped.
Maybe you lack intentionality.
Maybe you don’t follow through the way you wish you did.
Maybe you don’t experience the kind of respect you wish others had for you.
Maybe you don’t feel like your results don’t match your effort.
So what’s behind that?
Leaders ask these questions often because they’re looking ahead. They’re going before. Their goal is to be proactive, not reactive.
The way we lead ourselves in relationships, in health, on our teams, in our goals, has everything to do with how we are leading ourselves in those directions.
So let me ask, how are you leading yourself?
This whole conversation is the very essence of our flagship program, Emerge. It’s a space, an experience, and a relationship with leaders who are asking the big questions. Wanting more. And caring about the impact wake they WANT to create vs something accidental.
It’s eight weeks of intentional development — with five other incredible leaders who are just as invested as you are. People you’ll want to learn from. People who will push you. People who will see you.
What about you? Do you know what kind of impact wake you leave? Do you wish you were more intentional about that?
If it’s a yes, we are here.for.you.
We can’t wait to see where you’ll lead next.