Mastery is great, but even that is not enough. You have to be able to change course without a bead of sweat, or remorse.

Companies have got to learn to eat change for breakfast.

For the blue-collar worker, the driving force behind change was factory automation using programmable machine tools. For the office worker, it's office automation using computer technology: enterprise-resource-planning systems, groupware, intranets, extranets, expert systems, the Web, and e-commerce.

Make an extensive table of project 'deliverables'. Label one column 'as requested'. Create another column labeled 'could be'. Make each 'could be' wild and woolly!

Leaders' careers will usually be determined by their handling of one or two critical events that no one could possibly anticipate or plan for.

Leadership is about tapping the wellsprings of human motivation - and about fundamental relations with one's fellows.

If the other guy is getting better, then you'd better be getting better faster than the other guy is getting better... or you're getting worse.