Welcome to The Leadership Page on Sources of Insight!
Here is an organized collection of leadership resources to help you learn, explore, and advance your leadership knowledge.
Getting Started
- 5 Practices and 10 Commitments for Effective Leadership
- Situational Leadership: Change Your Leadership Style Based on Capability and Motivation
- The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership
All Leadership Articles
Popular Leadership Articles
- 3 Stories Leaders Need to Tell
- 10 Ways to Hold People Accountable
- A Leaders is the Trustee of the Intangibles
- Author a Distinctive Story
- Balance Connection and Conviction
- Boldness Has Genius, Magic, and Power in It
- Guide Your Path with Vision, Values, and Goals
- Leadership Checklist
- Leadership Styles and Development Levels
- What Executives at Microsoft Taught Me
Articles By Category
General
- 10 Big Leadership Ideas from the Carpenter
- Are You Living Above or Below the Line?
- How To Sharpen Your Focus
- How Women are Changing Leadership
- It’s Already Inside: Nurturing Your Innate Leadership for Business and Life Success
- Management is Doing Things Right, Leadership is Doing the Right Things
- Monique Catoggio on Sensing, Loving and Leading
- Presence is Something You Can Learn
- Respect is a Solid Foundation for Leadership
- Test Your Decisions Against Reality
- What Executive Leaders at Microsoft Taught Me
Change
- 10 Tips for Managing Change More Effectively
- Awareness is the First Step of Change
- Change Patterns: Patterns for Innovation and Change Leadership
- Desire to Change
- Head, Heart, and Hands: A Pattern for Change
- How Great Leaders Build a Culture of Innovation and Change
- Knowledge on How To Change
- Starfish Organizations: The Key to Explosive Change
- The Influencer Change Framework
Character
- 10 Big Ideas from Lead with Humility
- 12 Traits of a Great Leader
- A Leader is the Trustee of the Intangibles
- Character Ethic is the Foundation for Success
- Great Leaders are Rarely Realistic
- Integrative Thinking: Synthesize Multiple Ideas Into One Complete Idea
- Intelligent Leadership Book Review
- Leadership is Who You Are
- Stephen Covey Leaves a Legacy
- Testing for Expert Judgment
- Top 5 Characteristics of Effective Leaders
- Warrior Leaders are Positive and Exude Positive Energy
- Warrior Leaders Focus on the Highest Value Activities
- Warrior Leaders Reveal Great Character
Connection
- Balance Connection and Conviction to Reduce Anxiety and Lead Effectively
- Be the Politically Competent Leader
- Empathic Listening: The Highest Form of Listening
- How Life Experiences Make You a Better Leader
- Leadership in the Moment
- Political Competence: Influence with Skill and Get People on Your Side
- Stephen Covey on How To Present More Effectively
- The Johari Window: Know and Share Yourself With Skill
- The Leader’s Guide to Speaking with Presence
Courage
- Boldness has Genius, Magic, and Power In It
- Fearless Speaking
- Go for the Epic Win
- Live Without the Fear of Death in Your Heart
- The Man in the Arena
Culture
- Awareness is the First Step of Change
- Corporate Culture — Actions Speak Louder than Words
- Future Picture: How The Military Communicates Vision More Effectively
- How Great Leaders Build a Culture of Innovation and Change
- How To Build a Learning Culture
- How To Inspire a Vision
- Jurgen Appelo on Create Your Own Culture Book
- Mission Statements Explained
- Organizational Values: Actions are Louder Than Words
- The 5 Elements of Organizational Architecture
- Three-Factor Theory: Create Enthusiasm in Your Work Environment
- Vision, Mission, and Values
Emotional Intelligence
- 6 Steps to Emotional Mastery
- 10 Big Ideas from Emotional Capitalists: The Ultimate Guide to Developing Emotional Intelligence for Leaders
- 10 Emotions to Master for Power, Passion, and Strength
- 13 Skills to Change Emotions and Master Emotional Intelligence
- Develop a Psychology of Resilience in Yourself
- Emotional Triggers and What To Do About Them
- Feel In Control
- How Navy SEALs Build Mental Toughness
- Master Your Emotions by Mastering Your Stories
- Self-Efficacy is the Key to Your Personal Power
- Stephen Covey on Developing Emotional Intelligence
- The Elephant and the Rider
Influence
- 5 Elements of the Win/Win Agreement
- 6 Types of Social Power
- Become a Better Influencer: Identify Supporters, Opponents and Convincibles
- Character Trumps Emotion Trumps Logic
- Don’t Tell … Ask
- How To Build a Coalition with the Coalition-Building Cycle
- How To Frame Compelling Arguments
- How To Overcome Resistance with Entanglement Strategies
- How To Put Good Ideas in Place
- How To Sequence Your Influence to Build Momentum
- How To Survive Counter-Coalitions Against Your Ideas
- Improve Your Influence and Impact–Be Aware of the Larger System
- Influencing Without Authority
- Mindful Change: The Key to Successful Influence
- Persuasion is the Most Important Skill You Can Develop
- The Influencer Change Framework
- The Power of Superordinate Goals: How To Reduce Conflict Between Groups
- Why People Resist Change
- Win the Heart the Mind Follows
Inspiration and Motivation
- 3 Core Wants: Approval, Control, and Security
- Are You a Fire Starter?
- Deepak Chopra on the Soul of Leadership
- Expectation Shapes Reality
- How Grest Leaders Can Energize Others
- How To Arouse People to Extraordinary Achievement
- How To Inspire a Vision
- How To Inspire Others to Help You with Your Vision
- McClelland’s Motivational Model
- Motivation on Fire: Keep Your Motivation Burning for the Long-Haul
- The Seven Major Catalysts that Inspire Progress
Personal Leadership
- 8 Ways to Be Heroic
- Adapt, Adjust or Avoid Situations
- Build Your Personal Board of Advisers
- Everyone is a Leader
- Guide Your Path with Vision, Values, and Goals
- How To Be a Leader in Your Field
- Live on the Frontier of Your Experiences
- Personal Leadership Helps Renew You
- Personal Leadership is a Choice
- Reflecting With Skill: The Art of Structured Reflection
- The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership
- The Key to Progress: Sustain Your Virtuous Cycles and Halt the Vicious Ones
- The Power of Personal Leadership
Stories and Storytelling
- 3 Stories Leaders Need to Tell
- 6 Keys to Strategic Stories
- Lead Yourself and Others with Inspiring Stories
Strengths
- 3 Myths About Strengths and Weaknesses
- 4 Signs of a Strength: Success, Instinct, Growth, and Needs
- 34 Strengths from StrengthsFinder
- Don’t Confuse Strengths and Weaknesses with Skills
- Find Your Strengths
- Find Your Strengths Among Your Team
- How To Put Your Strengths to Work
- List of Strengths
- Nature vs. Nurture
- Spend 75 Percent on Your Strengths
- Strengths and Weaknesses vs. Personality Profiles
- Strengths vs. Talents
- The Strengths Movement
- Transform Your Hidden Strengths into Learned Strengths
- Why Strengths?
Strategy
Styles
- Detailed Command vs. Mission Command
- Heart-Led Leadership
- Pattern-Based Leadership vs. Fact-Based Management
- Situational Leadership II
- Task-Oriented vs. Relationship-Oriented Leadership Styles
- Visionary Leadership
Teams
- 5 Ways to Improve Commitment and Follow-through
- 10 Big Ideas from Out Think
- Assessing Your Existing Team
- Clarify Meaningful Results
- How Effective Leaders Get Their Team on Board
- How To Build High-Performance Teams More Consistently
- How To Create a High-Performance Team with Vision, Identity, and Values
- It’s Not Just a Team Effort
- Leadership Skills for Making Things Happen
- Management Lessons of a Lifelong Student
- Smart Leaders, Smarter Teams Book Review
- STEALTH Debrief: Generate Valuable Lessons Learned
- The Leader Must First Belong
- The Six Steps to Planning a Successful Mission (Lessons from Fighter Pilots)
- V-Team Success: 7 Steps for Building High-Performing V-Teams with Skill
- Vulnerability-Based Trust: Your Key to High-Performance Teams
Vision, Mission, and Values
- Corporate Culture — Actions Speak Louder than Words
- Effective Leaders Develop Multiple Future Outlooks
- Envisioning: The Leadership Skill of Time Travel
- Future Picture: How The Military Communicates Vision More Effectively
- Guide Your Path with Vision, Values, and Goals
- How To Create a High-Performance Team with Vision, Identity, and Values
- How To Find Your Values
- How To Inspire a Vision
- Mission Statements Explained
- Visionary Leadership
- Vision, Mission, and Values
Approaches, Frameworks, and Methods for Leadership
- 4-Dimensional Leadership
- 5 Practices and 10 Commitments for Effective Leadership
- Future Picture: How the Military Communicates Vision More Effectively
- Political Competence: Influence with Skill and Get People on Your Side
- Situational Leadership: Change Your Leadership Style Based on Capability and Motivation
- Situational Leadership II
- STARS Model of Business Evolution
- Strategy Diamond
- The First 90 Days: Your Road Map For Success
- The Influencer Change Framework
- The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership
- The Six Steps to Planning a Successful Mission (Lessons from Fighter Pilots)
- Vision, Mission, and Values
Blogs on Leadership
Top blogs on leadership:
Book Recommendations
Leadership book recommendations:
- 36 Best Business Books that Influenced Microsoft Leaders
- Insightful Management Books
- Insightful Leadership Books
Book Reviews
- 42 Rules for Your New Leadership Role Book Review
- Intelligent Leadership Book Review
- Leadership on the Line Book Review
- Leadership Transformed: How Ordinary Managers Become Extraordinary leaders Book Review
- Love Works: Seven Timeless Principles for Effective Leaders Book Review
- Smart Leaders, Smarter Teams Book Review
- Squirrels, Boats, and Thoroughbreds Book Review
- The Disney Way Book Review
- The First 90 Days Book Review
- The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership Book Review
- The Leader’s Pocket Guide Book Review
- The Leadership Secrets of Santa Clause Book Review
- Triple Crown Leadership: Building Excellent, Ethical, and Enduring Organizations Book Review
- What Keeps Leaders Up at Night Book Review
Checklist
Use the Leadership Checklist to help you build better leadership habits:
- As a leader, I seek first to understand, and I listen to people until they feel heard (empathic listening.)
- As a leader, I set the example others wish to emulate.
- As a leader, I vary my leadership style to motivate when needed or direct based on the needs and abilities of the team.
- As a leader, I vary my leadership style between people-focused and task-focused based on the situation I’m in.
- As a leader, I continuously find ways to simplify.
- As a leader, I focus on service to others.
- As a leader, I allocate time for what’s important.
- As a leader, I do what I say I will do.
- As a leader, I create a compelling vision that inspires people to rally around.
- As a leader, I take feedback and adapt in response.
More Leadership Checklist items >>
Leadership Lessons
Lessons from leaders:
- Top 10 Leadership Lessons by Jim Kouzes
- Top 10 Leadership Lessons by Jim Kouzes (A Question-and-Answer Follow-Up)
- Lessons Learned from Bill Gates
- Lessons Learned from Colin Powell
- Lessons Learned from Ken Blanchard
- Lessons Learned from John Wooden
- Lessons Learned from John Maxwell
- Lessons Learned from Mike Kropp
- Lessons Learned from Stephen Covey
- Lessons Learned from Steve Jobs
Product Recommendations
Leadership product recommendations:
Quotes on Leadership
Here are Leadership Quotes at your fingertips:
- “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” — John C. Maxwell
- “A real leader faces the music, even when he doesn’t like the tune.” – Anonymous
- “All Leadership is influence.” — John C. Maxwell
- “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.” — General George Patton
- “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” — Warren Bennis
- “Managers help people see themselves as they are; Leaders help people to see themselves better than they are.” — Jim Rohn
- “The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It is very easy to say yes.” — Tony Blair
- “The price of greatness is responsibility.” — Winston Churchill
- “When the effective leader is finished with his work, the people say it happened naturally.” — Lao Tzu
Related Quote collections:
