Leaders learn by leading, and they learn bestby leading in the face of obstacles. As weather shapes mountains, problems shape leaders.

This is more than just having a vision. You can see the difference in the often-cited way in which Steve Jobs brought in John Sculley to take over Apple. At the time, Sculley was destined to be the head of Pepsico. The clincher came when Jobs asked him, "How many more years of your life do you want to spend making colored water when you can have an opportunity to come here and change the world?"

The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.

A leader is someone whose actions have the most profound consequences on other people's lives, for better or worse, sometime forever and ever.

Perhaps the central task of the leader of leaders thus becomes the development of other leaders.

Too many companies believe people are interchangeable. Truly gifted people never are. They have unique talents. Such people cannot be forced into roles they are not suited for, nor should they be. Effective leaders allow great people to do the work they were born to do.

Around the world, the generals are being ousted, and the poets are taking charge.