A great idea is not enough.

I've found that small wins, small projects, small differences often make huge differences.

Leaders must wake people out of inertia. They must get people excited about something they've never seen before, something that does not yet exist.

The very lack of opportunity the group faces creates a self-defeating cycle and puts pressure on members to limit their aspirations.

Peter Drucker being one of the most important influences because he has helped to think differently about organizational leadership and management. Frankly, I learn something of value from everyone I meet. My Harvard colleagues. My students. The executives I work with. For an eager student, which is what I am, there is so much to be learned from everyday experiences. I'm a sponge. Always will be.

People who are making decisions about the future often don't have access to some of the best ideas in the company, which may be at the periphery or at lower levels.

A basic truth of management - if not of life - is that nearly everything looks like a failure in the middle.