For many, getting a new leadership title, a corner office, or more brass on their collar is viewed as a destination. Often the transition, the rite of passage and the plaque on the door becomes an open invitation or an excuse to stop learning.

The truth about a promotion, if you're a leader rather than a manager...is that the move up is simply a new beginning which creates an entirely new level of leadership, responsibility and opportunity. A serious student of business and leadership NEVER stops learning, asking questions, and honing their craft.

Leadership is a craft, an art, and a noble occupation. For some it's a lifelong aspiration. For others simply a path to their version of success.

My wife has a great saying, "Everybody wants a paycheck, but not everybody's willing to work!" In the realm of leadership, the correlation is "Everybody wants the title, but not everybody's willing to take on the responsibility."

I've been fortunate, my career in leadership began more than 30 years ago. I've had great mentors, role models and coaches along the way. They all taught me their version of two extremely valuable lessons. First, never stop learning and second, never ever forget where you came from.

I can still vividly remember when I lived paycheck to paycheck, shopped at the store for generic pasta and played the 'which bill am I not going to pay this week' game. I think that even though I'm well past those days now, I take extra time to think about how my decisions will impact, staff, clients and vendors. I do this because I feel a strong sense of responsibility and because those memories from 20 years ago are still vivid today. I remember where I came from.

What are the memories that are vivid in your past? What critical events have shaped the way you act and make decisions? Take a few minutes this week and think back over your career, regardless of the amount of time you've been in your leadership role. What types of leaders and managers have you worked with? What lessons, both good and bad can you take from those experiences? How can you incorporate them into your leadership style and improve your craft?

I actually learned some of my best leadership lessons from a competitor who thought employees were a 'dime a dozen', treated everyone poorly and always did things the same way. He taught me a lot about how NOT to run a company.

On to the subject of lifetime learning. Every effective leader that I've ever had the good fortune to meet and talk with considers themselves a lifetime learner. Common traits include being voracious readers, serious students of both world and business history and they can always be found talking to both their peers and their co-workers about ways to improve. They spend lots of time looking for the next opportunity to grow themselves and their businesses.

If you are a newly promoted leader, welcome. If you are veteran, step back and learn from those around you. Congratulations on the well deserved and newly installed plaque on your door, don't tarnish it with lousy skills.