Possess the "Nobel Factor": Possess and constantly demonstrate optimism, faith, and hope. They create choices. I am reminded of an ancient Chinese proverb: "That the birds of worry and care fly above your head, this you cannot change; but that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent."

Listening to the inner voice - trusting the inner voice - is one of the most important lessons of leadership.

It is the capacity to develop and improve their skills that distinguishes leaders from followers.

Leadership is like beauty - it's hard to define but you know it when you see it.

People who know what they want and why they want it, and have the skills to communicate that to others in a way that gains support

Create strategic alliances and partnerships: Now and in years to come, shrewd leaders will create allegiances with other organizations whose fates are correlated with their own.

Encourage dissent: Leaders should have associates who have contrary views, who are devil's advocates, "variance sensors" who can tell them the difference between what is expected and what is really happening, between what they want to hear and what they need to hear. There are too many naked emperors running around today.