Working with leaders over the past few years, I've been struck by how frequently confidence comes into the foreground at some point during our work together.

An enormous amount has been written about what leadership is, both from the perspective of assessing competence and from the perspective of the needs of those being led.

What particularly interests me is the point at which the challenge of leading other people, often in difficult circumstances, starts to rub against the lingering insecurities present in even the most experienced. Too much friction and anyone can end up off balance. But getting back on track, the subject of my first book, is only the extreme end of a continuum.

I will be embarking on a new book in the Autumn. Like Getting Back on Track, it will use real case studies. The aim is to bridge the gap between the leader as hero and the inner work that any leader needs to do to build their confidence muscles.

Watch this space.

If you're typical of many professional women, life can be tough. If your inbox is overflowing, you're juggling wall-to-wall meetings and constantly changing priorities, not to mention family commitments, if everyone wants a piece of you and everyone believes they have first claim, there's precious little time for your own spirit to soar.

But imagine...

· Imagine 24 hours of Me Time when you can unwind and relax.
· Imagine three things that could change if you took a precious 24 hours for yourself.
· What would those three things be? Take a moment to write them down.

If you'd like to set those changes in motion, Lindsay Wittenberg and I have created the ideal Me space for you to give yourself some quality attention. Join us on a 24-hour retreat created especially for you.

We have limited places left on our last retreat of 2008. Booking closes on 11 September, and you can now book on line.

After years of resistance, I've taken the plunge with a new blog, where I intend to build the ideas for the book.

This means that the newsletter will be likely to be a bit shorter in future, with links to blog postings.

Your comments will be really welcome.

After living in Brighton for 35 years, I'm in transition this year. The whole process of selling and buying a home can be enormously distracting, and I've found myself turning again to Eric Harrison for inspiration as I struggle to stay focused.

I first bought this book several years ago. I left my first copy on a train, but I like to think that someone else picked it up and found it as useful as I had. For me, it was so good that I immediately bought a replacement, and I still return to it when I need a dose of good, practical help.

Eric Harrison studied Buddhist approaches to meditation for many years, and from his learning, decided to create a new school from which he could teach meditation in his own unique way. He founded and runs the Perth Meditation Centre in Australia, teaching meditation in a thoroughly practical, down-to-earth fashion which immediately appealed to me.

Harrison explains what meditation is, and why it works, and uses much anecdotal material to illustrate his message. He explains how meditation helps by enabling you to stay more focused in the present rather than trying to think about a dozen things at once. Brilliant for concentration as well as helping you sleep better.

Perhaps best of all are the tiny "spot meditations" you can do in a bus queue, or while waiting at a red traffic light. Wonderful!