January, 2026 - Lisa D. Foster, Leadership Coaching & Training

woman looking at a gap as an image of hidden career costs of leadership

The Hidden Career Costs of Leadership Gaps (And Why They Go Unnoticed)

January 9, 2026

The hidden career costs of leadership gaps don’t usually appear as a single failure or dramatic moment. The hidden career costs of leadership gaps show up gradually—missed opportunities, stalled momentum, rising frustration, and teams that never quite perform at their potential. Most leaders don’t ignore growth on purpose. They work hard, care deeply about results, and genuinely want their teams to succeed. But leadership gaps create visible outcomes long before leaders recognize what’s happening—and those outcomes often shape how careers…

blind spot in the mirror as an image of self-awareness in leadership

Why Self-Awareness in Leadership Is Harder to Build Than Most People Expect

January 8, 2026

Confidence and Managing Yourself

If experience automatically produced self-awareness in leadership, leading would get easier every year. But many capable, experienced leaders find the opposite happens. They work harder. They carry more responsibility. And yet certain problems keep resurfacing—miscommunication, friction, disengagement, decisions that don’t land as intended. This isn’t a lack of intelligence or effort.It’s a misunderstanding of how self-awareness in leadership actually works. Key Takeaways: Why Even Smart, Experienced Leaders Still Miss Things The Two Types of Self-Awareness Leaders Need Self-awareness in leadership…

diverse leader looking over a balcony as an image of self-reflection in leadership

Why Experience Alone Stops Working at the Next Level of Leadership

January 5, 2026

Confidence and Managing Yourself, Uncategorized

Why self-awareness in leadership matters more as responsibility increases Self-awareness in leadership becomes increasingly important as roles get bigger, more complex, and more visible. Early in your career, experience does most of the teaching. You try things. You learn what works. You adjust. Progress feels fairly linear. But at some point — often without warning — experience alone stops delivering the same returns. The problems get more complex. The stakes get higher. And despite working harder, leaders often find themselves…

person walking on a bridge as a metaphor for moving forward from career moves leaders regret

The Career Moves That People Regret Not Making Earlier

January 2, 2026

Confidence and Managing Yourself

Career Moves Leaders Regret Rarely Look Dramatic in the Moment This quiet stretch as the new year starts to ramp up is when many people start thinking differently about their careers. Not in a goal-setting way.More in a looking back way. It’s when questions surface gently: When leaders reflect honestly, the career moves they regret aren’t usually bold risks they didn’t take. They’re quieter choices—moments they let pass because it felt easier to stay put. Key Takeaways: What people most…

Archive

The Hidden Career Costs of Leadership Gaps (And Why They Go Unnoticed)

Why Self-Awareness in Leadership Is Harder to Build Than Most People Expect

Why Experience Alone Stops Working at the Next Level of Leadership

The Career Moves That People Regret Not Making Earlier