A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.

... people are capable of more than their organizational positions ever give them the tools or the time or the opportunity to demonstrate.

A self-reinforcing upward spiral: performance stimulating pride stimulating performance.

"Leadership" is a big topic today. We know that the world - nations and communities in addition to companies - needs more and better leaders. So I wanted to explore how leaders make a difference, how they can shift a negative cycle, turn around a losing organization, propel a team to victory when conditions aren't perfect. I saw that what leaders do is build confidence in advance of victory. Then the confidence they produce makes the hope of success turn into the reality of success, because people behave differently when they are surrounded by a culture of confidence.

Innovative organizations provide the freedom to act which arouses the desire to act.

Confidence is not lodged in people's brains, it comes from the support system that surrounds them. Let's not confuse confidence overall with just self-confidence. Self-confidence is only one part of confidence. People also need confidence in others - their colleagues and leaders - that they can count on them to do the right thing and not to let them down.

Leadership is one of the most enduring, universal human responsibilities.