The middle of every successful project looks like a disaster.

A great idea is not enough.

Everything looks like a failure in the middle.

in most important ways, leaders of the future will need the traits and capabilities of leaders throughout history: an eye for change and a steadying hand to provide both vision and reassurance that change can be mastered, a voice that articulates the will of the group and shapes it to constructive ends, and an ability to inspire by force of personality while making others feel empowered to increase and use their own abilities.

Power is America's last dirty word. It is easier to talk about money - and much easier to talk about sex - than it is to talk about power.

During the Boom Years, it was so easy to lose sight of basic values. For example, there was lots of nonsense said and written about the so-called "New Economy." Some people said all economic laws have been overturned! Then all the problems developed. Corporations were heavily fined for illegalities. Many of their senior-level executives were indicted, convicted, and sent to prison.

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