I have seen different blogs pointing to this article about CEOs degrees of wisdom and experience combination  and about how they faced several experiences that proved to be crucible in the turn their self development and organizational one took in time. A crucible moment is a unique experience in one's lifetime where he/she can demonstrate a remarkable capacity not only to survive tough experiences but also to extract profound insights from them. The authors mention four types of circumstances for crucible moments: mentoring relationships, enforced reflection, insertion into foreign territory, and disruption and loss.

I think I've had my share of crucible moments, starting with my MBA times when besides business fundamentals I learnt that team work is invaluable. A second one was my post MBA job where I had a great business mentor, an unique individual, I was very lucky to have had the chance to work with him - I learned invaluable lessons about leadership and business from him. A third was the period I lived abroad - I got to know and respect different cultures and I think I learned so well that there is no only black and white but tons of nuances in between. Or differently put I finally understood the meaning of an old Japanese saying - truth has a thousand faces. Finally, I think I am experiencing a crucible moment nowadays as an entrepreneur, I am exposed to great challenges, everyday I am learning tons of stuff and I get to know myself quite well.