Over the past four years I've being trying to figure out how to serve others as a soloprenuer. I must say, my soul stands on tip toe and my mind is at ease knowing that I've found my footing after retiring from the greatest Army on the planet.

I decided to use my calendar and social media timeline as a way to review the year.

It's good to recap the previous 12 months or quarter or month or week or day so that we can acknowledge how much we have progressed or how much we have remained stagnate.  In a world were we are busy being busy and are distracted more than we are present, we need to carve out time and space to celebrate the wins. 

I began the year with the intention of investing in my mindset, skillset, and network. I focused my attention on progressing in my business and thriving in my social environments. The biggest contribution to a successful year was managing my calendar more effectively. At about mid-year I realized that I was not earning enough revenue...

There is a day in the spring when we remember those who served and did not come home; that’s Memorial Day, but today, at this Salute to Veterans Luncheon, we pause to remember all of the men and women who served and did come home.

 I’m grateful to Jil Hinds and AARP-Georgia for this opportunity to speak with you today.

I participated in Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia with the XVIII Airborne Corps, in Operation Iraqi Freedom with Central Command in Qatar, and in Baghdad, Iraq with the 1^st Cavalry Division.  I served 27 years in the greatest Army on the planet. My name is Angela M. Odom and I am a proud Army veteran.

Since 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the American people observed November 11, first as Armistice Day at the end of World War 1 and now as Veterans Day. I thank all who are here and all who will gather around this nation over the next few days to continue this great tradition of celebrating men and women in the Army,...

Watching a movie that depicts the life of a brave, heroic American is interesting. However, watching this same movie with my favorite teenager is enriching. It gave us an opportunity to have a discussion about a woman who demonstrated resilience and clarity of mission.

‘Harriet’ is a biopic; a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used.

This movie although not perfect, was perfect as a catalyst for an engaging conversation about Harriet Tubman with my son.  

The movie begins on a Maryland plantation in 1849 where Harriet Tubman played by Cynthia Erivo, a slave in her early twenties and her newlywed husband John are blissfully enjoying one another's company.  

 Cynthia Erivo's tiny frame fills up the screen with her tenacious depiction of Harriet Tubman upholding the idea that God...

I spent 27 years in the greatest Army on the planet with other visionary leaders who wanted to achieve more within the organizations and teams they led while serving in complex environments.  Most recently over the last four years I've led myself as a small business owner, engaged with clients and interacted with volunteer teammates focused on serving the community while wanting to show up more authentically.  In both environments I observed and experienced the most common issues that challenges people in positions of authority. 

Here are the top issues the leaders I encountered are facing:

• Leader Burnout: Leaders are working too much, expending too much time, energy and effort for far too little payoff while still not getting everything on their exhaustively long 'to do' done. 
• Unsatisfactory Executive Team Functioning: Some executive teams are working out better than others, however, the majority of the people...

In this anthology titled, "Camouflaged Sisters: Leadership Through the Eyes of Senior Military Women Leaders", I'm fortunate to contribute my chapter, "Beyond Competence".  The book is really a leadership toolkit which examines the grit, perseverance, and determination it takes to rise through military ranks as a woman in uniform.

An anthology is a collection of short stories. This leadership anthology provides an opportunity for the potential reader to gain insights on various aspects of leadership as they move from chapter to chapter. Each of the twelve contributing authors served at least 20 years in one of the military branches. I served 27 years in the greatest Army on the planet and was fortunate to retire in the rank of colonel.  

My chapter is titled, 'Beyond Competence'. The reader gets a birds eye view of the profound impact my battalion commander and mentor had on my professional career when I was a brand new lieutenant. While serving at...

SMART is an acronym that you can use to guide your goal setting.

Its criteria are commonly attributed to Peter Drucker's Management by Objectives concept. The first known use of the term occurs in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran. Since then, Professor Robert S. Rubin (Saint Louis University) wrote about SMART in an article for The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. He stated that SMART has come to mean different things to different people, as shown below.

 To make sure your goals are clear and reachable, each one should be:

• Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
• Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
• Achievable (agreed, attainable).
• Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).
• Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive).

Professor Rubin also notes that the definition of the SMART acronym may need updating to reflect the importance of efficacy and...

Folks are looking at you right now.  They're considering you for great and small opportunities.  You may have a blind spot and not realize you have what it takes to lead small teams and large organizations.  OR you may think you have it all together and are wondering when the opportunities will start. 

As a person who has completed thousands of tasks, mission, and projects, I decided to share the Top 10 Qualities Decision Makers Consider When Choosing a Project Manager with you.  My prayer is that you will assess your current skills and move to improve your gaps. 

Before we get started, let's first ensure we're not talking past one another.

Who are the decision makers?

Men, women, boys and girls who work with you, serve with you in community organizations, in your church, on nonprofit boards, in your family, and in every aspect of your life.  Take a minute and identify three decision makers before you move on. 

Who are project managers?

...

What Does Power Mean to You?

Power means many different things to different people. For some, power is seen as corrupt. For others, the more power they have, the more successful they feel. For even others, power is of no interest at all. 

The five bases of power were identified by John French and Bertram Raven in the early 1960’s through a study they had conducted on power in leadership roles. The study showed how different types of power affected one’s leadership ability and success in a leadership role.

Power and Authority

Leadership within organizations is only attainable through the combination and use of power and authority. As discussed by John Kotter (1985, p.86) “power is the ability to influence others to get things done, while authority is the formal rights that come to a person who occupies a particular position, since power does not necessarily accompany a position.” Problems sometimes arise when power is imposed without the backing of...