Over the course of your career, you’re bound to have a few startling setbacks. In my new book, A Leadership Kick in the Ass, I explain why setbacks and failures often provide valuable lessons that can actually enhance your career. Career butt-kicks share a four common stages, each of which is described below.

1. Comfortable oblivion: Prior to the setback, you are blind to your own behavior. Life is going swimmingly and you are blithely unaware of the impending insult. Oftentimes you are full of confidence. You can quickly marshal the facts that support the value you’re adding to the organization you serve. You view yourself as competent, aware, and deserving. [Read more…]

Remember when you had a nine-to-five job that was killing you? It messed with your internal circadian biological clock. It exhausted you, depressed you, and made you irritable most of the time. You had no time to exercise, unwind, or enjoy your family life.

It even forced you to ask heartbreaking questions about the meaning of life.

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Fashion has always been a place for women to build excellent careers. The following four women have risen to incredible positions in their companies, and are leading fashion forward. From powerful CEOs to huge names in fashion design, there’s a lot you can learn about fashion from its most successful women.

Susan Itzkowitz for Marc Fisher Footwear

Susan Itzkowitz from Marc Fisher presides as president of the footwear company. Marc Fisher is a leading footwear company in the U.S., and is a manufacturer for brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and GUESS. In the highly-competitive fashion footwear world, Susan has built a reputation as an intelligent businesswoman.

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Do you have a passion to start your own business, but for some reason can’t seem to get it off the ground? Year after year you set goals to start your business and finally quit your day job, however, each year passes you by without any progression. This alone should not be enough to discourage you from chasing your dreams. There are plenty of successful business owners that for one reason or another prolonged their hopes and dreams.

What’s the key to finally conquering your goals of becoming a business owner? Knowing what’s holding you back and fixing it. There are all kinds of reasons that people put their dreams on the back burner. However, more often than not, it is one of these four factors listed below: [Read more…]