Many will agree that leadership is lacking in the world today. In hard economic times, organizations tend to make cuts wherever they can. Services and programs the company pays for or invests time into that do not show immediate and tangible result are often the first to be cut. While over 50 percent of company’s surveyed in 2005 planned to offer mentoring programs, these were reserved for management positions and directorships (Gray 2005). Without being able to find an individual mentor or coach, how does the average employee develop their leadership behaviors? How does the college graduate groom themselves for a leadership role? Everyone can engage in self-training. The following pages outline a basic process that anyone can engage on their own to develop their leadership behaviors and begin to make choices as leaders.

It is helpful to remember that before we can be the leader of others, we must be leaders of ourselves. Those that do not take choices consciously and lead themselves fall into the roll of the follower without realizing it. While it is healthy to be excellent followers as the situation warrants, that is not going to be the focus of this training.

Additionally, it is important to address the difference between habits and choices. A habit, as defined, is an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary. In the future, it may be helpful to develop the following behaviors into habits. Initially, however, these behaviors will be referred to as choices or to select from a number of possibilities; pick by preference. As one begins self-training, these need to be conscious and active choices. Once we consciously master these concepts they will become habits.
Intention
Intention is the core of everything we do. What is intention? This is the choice to be fully aware and conscious of what drives us