I have long respected General Colin Powell. He's honest, courageous, and intelligent. He believes that leaders and decision makers need to make decisions in a world with less-than-perfect information and where we will not have all the possible data. Following are some of favorite "lessons" from "The Powell Principles".

Rules for Picking People
Look for intelligence and judgment and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.

Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds.
In a brain-based economy, your best assets are people. Top managers create environments where the best, the brightest, the most creative are attracted, retained and-most importantly - unleashed?

Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.
Good leadership means that some people will get angry at your actions and decisions. Ironically, by procrastinating on the difficult choices, by trying not to get anyone mad, and by treating everyone equally "nicely", you’ll simply ensure that the only people you’ll wind up angering are the most creative and productive people in the organization.

The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them.
They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Real leaders make themselves accessible and available.

Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.
Learn from the pros, observe them, seek them out as mentors and partners. But remember that even the pros may have leveled out in terms of their learning and skills. Xerox’s Barry Rand was right on target when he warned his people that if you have a "yes man" working for you, one of you is redundant.

Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant.
All the great ideas and visions in the world are worthless if they can’t be implemented rapidly and efficiently. Good leaders delegate and empower others liberally, But they pay attention to details, every day.

Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
The ripple effect of a leader’s enthusiasm and optimism is awesome. So is the impact of cynicism and pessimism. Leaders who whine and blame engender those same behaviors among their colleagues. Spare me the grim litany of the "realist"; give me the unrealistic aspirations of the optimist any day.

Command is lonely.
Harry Truman was right. The essence of leadership is the willingness to make the tough, unambiguous choices that will have an impact on the fate of the organization. I’ve seen too many non-leaders flinch from this responsibility. Even as you create an informal, open, collaborative, corporate culture, prepare to be lonely.

More details

The Powell principles: 24 lessons from Colin Powell, battle-proven leader

By Oren Harari

Edition: illustrated

Published by McGraw-Hill Professional, 2004

ISBN 0071444904, 9780071444903

116 pages