Executive Extra

Did you use the 4Cs today?

Of course you did.

But how?

As an undergraduate, I wrote a thank-you to a professional who'd spoken to my Fundamentals of Public Relations class. I received a response that was, rather than inspiring or challenging, openly hostile and threatening. She called me "overly emotional" and "saccharine"—essentially, a kiss-ass! I thought I blew it.

On vacation last summer, I visited the Elliot Bay Bookstore in Seattle, Washington—IMO one of the best independent bookstores in the nation—and picked up Jenny Lawson's new book: You Are Here: An Owner's Manual for Dangerous Minds.

Leadership development is a lifelong quest; it's an art, a discipline, a balance of many traits. One challenge for leaders is how to be authentic in the difficult situations we face each day.