If people are coming to work excited. . . if they're making mistakes freely and fearlessly. . . if they're having fun. . . if they're concentrating on doing things rather than preparing reports and going to meetings-then somewhere you have leaders.

Due to budget cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.

A leader is not an administrator who loves to run others, but someone who carries water for his people so that they can get on with their jobs.

A good manager doesn't try to eliminate conflict; he tries to keep it from wasting the energies of his people. If you're the boss and your people fight you openly when they think that you are wrong - that's healthy.

If you don't do it excellently, don't do it at all. Because if it's not excellent, it won't be profitable or fun.

Compromise is usually bad. It should be a last resort. If two departments or divisions have a problem they can't solve and it comes up to you, listen to both sides and then pick one or the other. This places solid accountability on the winner to make it work. Condition your people to avoid compromise.

Getting there isn't half the fun - it's all the fun.