When you don’t know what you don’t know, the best place to start is with people who have been where you are and may be able to see more clearly. For me, that meant finding a mentor and reading the best books about life and business I could get my hands on. These included: The Purpose Driven Life, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Think and Grow Rich, The Bible, Richest Man in Babylon, Success Principles, Failing Forward, Today Matters, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, and Laws of Success.

Through that process–and it was a process–I was able not only to discover my purpose but also to develop the basis for what would become a successful approach to leadership coaching: become a mirror for others to see themselves in such a way that they cannot help but fall in love with their own true magnificence and the magnificence of others, ask questions that help people discover their true passion, then tap into that energy, determination and right action to transform thoughts into accomplishments.

“I’m here to inspire others to effective action. That’s what gets me out of bed in the morning, where everything I do comes from.”

I began to employ that philosophy in all my business relationships. Working in commercial supply, travel management, settlement services, marketing and consulting, I worked very hard to continue delivering stellar results: exceeding sales projections, building new business relationships and opening new markets. While the industries were different, I encountered one common dynamic: businesses that should have been doing better were not. In many cases, it was not sales holding that business back. It was a lack of leadership.

“Leadership at any level has a lid. I wanted my clients to get the best results, so, in addition to sales training, I began to work with my clients to equip them to grow as leaders.”

Over time, I began to view the senior leadership at the consulting firm where I worked through a new lens. What I saw was troubling. I realized my employer had hit his leadership lid in a key area and he was unwilling to rise above it. His leadership ‘lid’ was limiting my potential in his environment, so…

… I fired my boss.

That decision set my career in motion, made what I’m doing now possible. I’m grateful, because that employer contributed to my personal transformation.

With the encouragement and support of my husband, I chose to take a year off to figure out what “next” would look like. After four years of being on the road five days a week, I settled into a life at home.

After a short time, I was crazy bored. I missed helping people, missed seeing the transformations. I knew I could not go back to work for an employer who lacked a leadership mindset, so I looked for a like-minded leader who truly cared about people. There was one name at the top of my list–Dr. John C. Maxwell.

A New Direction

I learned the world-renowned leadership expert was in the process of developing a team of leadership coaches. I went through the certification process and joined that team as a Founding Partner in 2011.

It was a leap of faith for me, but I knew, if I was going to work with anyone, it had to be someone like John. As a mentor for what I wanted to do, there’s nobody better. When it came to fulfilling my purpose, this is the best of both worlds. I still work for myself, but I have John Maxwell and his faculty team as my personal mentors.

“I’m passionate about helping leaders discover how they can do better. How they can enhance what they are doing well and remove obstacles that may be holding them back.”

What’s holding you back from your goals and your dreams? Is there an area in your life or your work where you may be limiting yourself, and you want to do better? Reach out and let’s connect. I’d love to help you realize your true potential.