The winners stun us not by their cleverness, but by the fact that every tiny aspect of the business is just a touch better than the norm.

Are you placing enough interesting, freakish, long shot, weirdo bets?

The best leaders are the best notetakers, best askers, and best learners.

If you're a leader, your whole reason for living is to help human beings develop - to really develop people and make work a place that's energetic and exciting and a growth opportunity, whether you're running a Housekeeping Department or Google. I mean, this is not rocket science.

The company's most urgent task is to learn to welcome, beg for, demand - innovation from everyone.

Power lies in the details, and the tenacious pursuit of such hidden levers can pay off enormously. While you don't want to get a reputation as a prissy worrywart, worrying about the details in private is important. You may think you are the world's greatest speaker, but if the auditorium's sound system is singing static - well, forget it.

Cost does not equal value... and low cost parts decrease brand equity for a very long time.