A fundamental responsibility of leadership is make sure that everybody knows the mission, understands it, lives it.

Economists think the poor need them to tell them that they are poor.

Some of the best business and nonprofit CEOs I've worked with over a sixty-five-year consulting career were not stereotypical leaders. They were all over the map in terms of their personalities, attitudes, values, strengths, and weaknesses.

There are companies that are good at improving what they're already doing. There are companies that are good at extending what they're doing. And finally there are companies that are good at innovation. Every large company has to be able to do all three - improve, extend, and innovate - simultaneously.

Do not believe that it is very much of an advance to do the unnecessary three times as fast.

If something fails despite being carefully planned, carefully designed, and conscientiously executed, that failure often bespeaks underlying change and, with it, opportunity.

Working with people is difficult, but not impossible.