Holistic executive coaching learning to live one's whole life.

• Author: Ribeiro, Ana Gonzalez
• Position: GENERAL BUSINESS

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The age-old debate, "Are leaders born or made? is one that has been discussed for years. If you were to ask Donna Boltz, she would probably say some experienced leaders can always use a bit of help to sharpen their innate skills, while others need a push in order to become leaders.

Boltz is a retired Army colonel who works as a certified leadership coach, leader development adviser and a personal fitness trainer. She has more than 25 years experience in the field. As owner and operator of Perceptive Leadership, Boltz gives custom-designed leadership coaching and personal training to executives. She coaches mid-level and senior leaders in crucial leadership skills, such as mental toughness and energy management.

She spent time learning about leadership through both institutional design and in some of the toughest real-life proving grounds a leader can experience. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., during her years in the academy and working with different organizations, she learned that leadership skills are increased by exposure to teamwork.

SECRETS TOLD

"My personal secret to success was to operate across all domains--and when I faltered in an area, I could see the impact on my team or organization," she says. In 2006, while she worked as deputy director for the Port of Anchorage, and after spending nearly 30 years in leadership positions while in the Army, Boltz decided it was time to retire so she could have more time to take care of her ill mother and meet family obligations.

She then attended Georgetown University's Leadership Coaching Certification program to "add some science to the art and some art to the science of what I understood about working with leaders," she says. Perceptive Leadership resulted from her years of experience and certification at Georgetown.

THE LEADERSHIP 'PRIVILEGE'

"I always considered leadership to be a great privilege. It was, in my experience, an honor to be entrusted with leadership responsibility for a group, team or organization. I also knew leading could be a fun and creative job--after all, it's all about relationships."

She found coaching executives on leadership skills satisfying. "Coaching does that--it builds upon the creativity, skills and resourcefulness of leaders to strengthen their leader presence and sharpen their leading practice."

THE BALANCING ACT

Boltz established her company to work directly with leaders facing the challenge of...