Wise Leaders Focus on the Greater Good - Daniel Goleman

Our times require leaders who are not only intelligent, but wise. Wise leaders develop strategies that target the greater good, not just an organization or individual. The more that companies, communities and the world-at-large appoint such leaders, the better off we will be. And the more skilled we become at spotting the potential for such influence in younger generations – and helping them cultivate these qualities – the better our future looks.

Career Post: How Can You Be Sure About Your Career Direction?

Let’s say that you want to reach the level of Director, or V.P. or maybe even get to a C-Level chair. As much as you say you want to follow this trajectory you have doubts. You question whether or not this is the right path and you look for evidence to prove, to yourself, you know what you want. You can lose confidence and berate yourself because you’re “supposed” to know what you want. After all you’re an adult. That’s what adults do, right?

Sir Alex Ferguson’s 7 Leadership Secrets

His autobiography is released today, so what lessons can we draw from this sporting icon?

When Manchester United boss Sir Alex – the most successful manager of a British soccer team in decades – announced his retirement back in May, it generated more than 1.4 million Twitter mentions within the first hour. This ranked as more significant than the death of Margaret Thatcher, if slightly less so than the announcement of the new Pope.

So here are Sir Alex's seven leadership lessons:

The First Things a New Leader Should Do to Build Trust

As a new supervisor nearly 30 years ago and as Lockheed Martin CEO and President, building trust has always been my top priority. That’s because I’ve learned over the years that if you don’t have a bond of trust with the people who can help you succeed, business comes to a screeching halt.

Article: How to Spot a Great Leader in Four Easy Steps

Leadership can be an incredibly hard concept to define and an even harder quality to learn. There are some who argue that great leaders are born but I have always believed that you can learn and develop the necessary skills through hard work and experience.