I had the privilege of serving as an officer in the US Army for more than 20 years. At various parts of my career, I trained soldiers, to include future officers.What I learned throughout this journey, was that I, as well as those around me, were capable of being an excellent role model and servant leader; and at times a terrible one too.Today, I find that once people are promoted to managers, they face the same issues that every Army leader did:Here’s what we don’t always say out loud:The Skills Curve says that when you enter an organization, 90 percent of your success at the individual contributor level depends on your technical skills, while only 10 percent has to do with your people skills. (for CEOs, it's the opposite)As soon as someone gets promoted into management, success is equally dependent: 50% people and 50% technical skills.This is where the biggest change occurs, yet when you need help the most, most employers don't invest in developing their leaders. Somehow, you are expected to learn this important art on your own.  Adult learning typically involves seven key principles: self-direction, transformation, experience, mental orientation, motivation, readiness to learn, and mentorship. Many of these one can take on alone, but without the right mentor, you will lack the perspective of experience, or the opportunity to receive encouragement when needed. Most important, you’ll want someone with whom you can trust along your journey, someone who can help accelerate your development. I truly believe that I am a product of the best leadership environment available. In ROTC, we learned leadership in a proven culture, one that instilled in us the fundamentals so sorely needed today. In my last assignment, I had the privilege of leading an ROTC program similar to where I started, where we coached, mentored, and transformed college students in Army officers.  During 20+ years, most notable were the privilege of commanding a Blackhawk helicopter unit, and one of the Army’s leadership development programs (ROTC) at two universities in Boston.  Leading truly is a privilege. These days, I write about various topics impacting leadership, such as personal growth and inspiring others. Additionally, I also offer limited private mentoring services for those serious about learning this art.  If you want to make the most of your current or future management opportunity and you'd like to explore whether I'd be a fit for you, I'd love to meet you on a 20-minute call: -- https://calendly.com/tom-crea/20-minute-call