John Wooden would say never mistake activity for achievement. Sometimes we think we're really doing well on a given day. But 'What did you accomplish?' is the question that we should really be asking not 'What did we do?'

We all think that the answer to everything is to add more and to do more and to try more. Sometimes you have to have the discipline to say no and to believe in the process that you have established.

When leaders of a professional team perform a scan, they examine the trends dominating their customer demographics, education, government policy, and especially their competition.

The great ones realize that what you did yesterday guarantees you nothing today. The challenge is too many people are busy celebrating yesterday's success.

What I know now is that everybody in life, no matter where you are or what you do, must be able to sell in order to be successful. I used to believe that I could be successful on talent alone. What I realize now is that I can only be successful if I can have people buy my talent.

In the end, leadership comes down to consistency and strong, confident action upon which the team can rely - and this doesnt mean imposing a bunch of rules.

If Albert Einstein was right, Cal Ripken should have been a CEO or politician rather than a shortstop, because Ripken led by example over and over... and over again.