We have a Marlboro Man Theory of leadership and change, especially in America, but in fact anything great that's accomplished is accomplished by many hands.

Sometimes, with leaders, the stakes are very high indeed. Churchill, in WWII, for example, could not afford to utter publicly his concerns about England's ability to survive Hitler's onslaught. He thought about them, but the leadership conversation sometimes needs to inspire, not voice doubt.

A language like Ruby is a toolbox with some really neat little tools that do their job really nicely. JavaScript is a leather sheath with a really really sharp knife inside. That knife can cut anything, and with it you can do anything. You can kill a bear. You can catch fish. You can whittle a piece of wood into a pony. It's even a toothpick.

In cyberspace, we get many fewer cues about the emotional states and attitudes of the people we're talking to. That makes it less interesting, easier to mis-communicate, and more likely to destroy trust. So you need to treat cyberspace with care, especially being aware of the fragile nature of trust in the virtual world.

First ask why, and decide whether something is worth doing. Only after that should you set about doing it as well as you can.

Use your unconscious mind to read other people's intents, emotions, and desires.

Emotions are charismatic. Focused emotions are very charismatic. To lead people with charisma, you need to take charge of and focus your emotions.