Leadership is about setting a direction. It's about creating a vision, empowering and inspiring people to want to achieve the vision, and enabling them to do so with energy and speed through an effective strategy. In its most basic sense, leadership is about mobilizing a group of people to jump into a better future.

Great leadership does not mean running away from reality. Sometimes the hard truths might just demoralize the company, but at other times sharing difficulties can inspire people to take action that will make the situation better.

Over the years I have become convinced that we learn best - and change - from hearing stories that strike a chord within us ... Those in leadership positions who fail to grasp or use the power of stories risk failure for their companies and for themselves.

In an ever changing world, you never learn it all, even if you keep growing into your 90s.

Outsiders have the intuitive ability to continually view problems in fresh ways and to identify ineffective practices and traditions.

No vision issue today is bigger than the question of efficiency versus some combination of innovation and customer service.

Leadership is different from management, but not for the reasons most people think.