Like a good parent can't also be his child's best friend, a leader with authority requires some separation from subordinates.

Mergers are like marriages. They are the bringing together of two individuals. If you wouldn't marry someone for the 'operational efficiencies' they offer in the running of a household, then why would you combine two companies with unique cultures and identities for that reason?

Though there are lessons that can be learned about becoming a great leader, most exist inherently in the bellies of those who lead.

Leaders don’t complain about what’s not working. Leaders celebrate what is working and work to amplify it.

I've been dogmatic to use myself as a case study.

Offer someone the opportunity to rebuild a company or reinvent an industry as the primary incentive, and it will attract those drawn to the challenge first and the money second.

Starbucks was founded around the experience and the environment of their stores. Starbucks was about a space with comfortable chairs, lots of power outlets, tables and desks at which we could work and the option to spend as much time in their stores as we wanted without any pressure to buy. The coffee was incidental.