When I was first assigned leadership as this month’s women and biz topic, I asked myself “How can I — Business and Life Coach and mother of two– have anything to say about leadership?” I remember studying it in graduate school but the topic just doesn’t come up much coaching out of my home office and juggling life with two small children.

As I pondered the subject and considered how I could possibly bring any new wisdom to the field, I thought back to Therese Braddick, my manager when I worked for a non-profit that enhanced the parks and playgrounds of New York City. Therese was the best boss I ever worked for. She was friendly, hard-working and organized. She had an ambitious plan for how the different departments would work together to achieve the larger goals and purpose of the organization. She held frequent meetings with the staff, set realistic deadlines, and then checked in on whether we needed help meeting them. She confronted employees who were not contributing before it got out of hand, but she also rewarded us when we reached milestones. I remember coming back to my desk during a particularly grueling budget period to find a large chocolate chip cookie (my absolute favorite!) from her on top of my papers. It was a small token, but that along with reimbursements for classes I was taking and opportunities to use flex time when I needed it kept me motivated and working hard. Under her leadership, I stretched my own skill set and achieved things I never thought I could.

As I remembered this positive work experience, I fast-forwarded to my life today and pondered leadership’s role in my life now. A few incidents came to mind: a client who recently shared some of my coaching advice in her e-zine that reaches subscribers as far away as Australia; a colleague who recently complimented me about my talent at getting the word out about what we are doing; and tonight, my daughter (age 6) announced “You’re always in a good mood, Mom” and “You love to have fun with us!” Could I perhaps be exhibiting some leadership qualities myself? I know that I have worked hard over the last few years to set up my work and home life so that it compliments my strengths and personal values. As a Coach, I am selling my own success as a possibility to my clients. I’m sure I have a long way to go to reach Therese’s leadership heights, but it is nice to see those around me are repeating my words, promoting my strengths, and enjoying my attitude. I guess I did have something to say on the subject after all!