Welcome to the "Who are you BECOMING?" Challenge!

Check your email! You don't want to miss any of this unique challenge and access to the rest of the program will arrive via your inbox, so make sure that the first message doesn't get lost in cyberspace. With all the firewalls and spam filters, you may need to search your email for Jonathan Fanning and add me to your contacts.

Pillars! (Let's get started.)

A year from now, you'll be a better leader than you are today... or not. Early in my career as a management consultant, I was involved in a traumatic car accident. After the accident, I spent a lot of time reflecting. I decided to make some changes in my life, and I wish I could say that I did make some changes. But change can be tough. I finally set off on a quest in pursuit of two of life's most important questions:

  1) Who are you BECOMING?

  2) Who are you helping the people around you to become?

I studied leadership programs across the globe. What worked? What didn't? What did they have in common? Great people developers, from world-class Fortune 500 company's executive development programs (which I had experienced first-hand) to basketball coaches working with 8-year-olds, the effective programs had 2 things in common. #1: they picked a few pillars. Simple. A year from now, I'll be better at _______. (I'll be more patient. A better listener. More focused. Better at engaging my staff.) Pick a pillar. Most of us have not. A few examples:

• GE: Energy, Energize, Edge, Execute, Passion (4 E's and a P)
• Southwest Airlines: Fun-Loving Attitude, Warrior Spirit, Servant's Heart
• UCLA Coach, John Wooden: Work Ethic & Attitude
• You: ____, _____, ____

It often helps to reflect on leaders, people or organizations you admire deeply. What are a few of the pillars that make them who they are?

Don't make this more complicated than it really is. Over the next few weeks, what 2 or 3 pillars will you be driving into your life and leadership?

If you haven’t already done so, INVITE a friend, family member, or colleague to join you on this journey. Share this link with them!