Blog
The latest insights on skills to build on and tools to sharpen professionally, as well as the value of professional coaching and mentoring, written by Emerging Trails founder, Martha Schmidt.
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New! Special Series on Leadership Competencies
Through a connection found in coaching and leadership competencies, Martha shares insights on skills to master that create a solid foundation for effective leadership.
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Why Mentoring Works for Leaders Who Think They Don’t Need It
Many experienced leaders resist coaching because they believe they already know what they need. This post explores why mentoring, which is grounded in real-world experience and thoughtful challenge, often delivers the clarity, confidence, and perspective they’ve been missing. Why this works: it’s concise, value-forward, and speaks directly to individual circumstances and realities.
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The Preparation Trap
Part 4 of The Inner Game of Business Series You’re not avoiding the transition. You’re preparing for it. You’ve been getting ready. Thoughtfully. Responsibly. The way a serious person approaches a major decision. There’s the certification you completed last year. The course you’re halfway through now. The mentors you’ve been meeting with. The competitor research
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The Comfort of Being Busy
Part 3 of The Inner Game of Business Series You know you need to work on what’s next. You’ve been thinking about it for months, maybe longer. But right now? Right now, things are crazy. Work is demanding. Your team needs you. There’s a project deadline looming, a fire to put out, a meeting that
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The Gap Between Knowing and Doing
You know what you want. Or at least, you’re pretty sure you do. You’ve thought about it enough. You’ve read the books. Listened to the podcasts. Maybe even hired a coach, taken a course, or built a detailed plan in a Google Doc that you revisit every few months. And yet here you are, still