That conversation caused me to change my focus. When you think about leadership development as a life-long commitment, a course can’t possibly qualify as “leadership development”. A course is a tool for leadership development. So too is a job assignment, a performance review, a coaching session, an executive MBA program. And who is responsible for leadership development? The HR organization? Business schools? Consultants? No—they’re responsible for the tools.

The person responsible for leadership development must be the individual who stands to benefit from becoming a better leader.

So why are we here—not here on this planet, but here on this website? I believe we’re here because we share a common commitment to helping individuals become better leaders. We’re here not only because leadership development must be a life-long commitment; we’re here because it is also a moving target. Tools that helped yesterday’s managers become better leaders are not good enough in today’s environment.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers. In fact, I don’t want to have all the answers. That’s not a realistic expectation. I do think I have something to say about the discussion. And that’s what this website is for. Please contribute to the dialogue.