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

Without credible communication, and a lot of it, the hearts and minds of others are never captured.

Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles.

Neurologists say that our brains are programmed much more for stories than for abstract ideas. Tales with a little drama are remembered far longer than any slide crammed with analytics.

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

In terms of getting people to experiment more and take more risk, there are at least three things that immediately come to my mind. Number one, of course, is role-modeling it yourself. Number two is when people take intelligent, smart risks and yet it doesn't work out, not shooting them. And number three, being honest with yourself. If the culture you have is radically different from an experiment and take-risk culture, then you have a big change you going to have to make—and no little gimmicks are going to do it for you.

Great leaders motivate large groups of individuals to improve the human condition.