In the Fall of 1997, I had no idea of the importance of intentionally identifying and nurturing emerging leaders in an organization and in one’s career. Then, during my first real job out of college, I was working for a technology company later acquired by Microsoft. The IT Director, John Crawford, invited me to lunch. Little did I know, this simple request was the formal launch of a series of experiences and programs that helped me determine if leadership was a career path that I would want to pursue. Since it was, it also provided me with a balanced combination ...