Colin Powell's 15 Secrets to Leadership

1. Promote a clash of ideas. Allow subordinates to argue and clash with you. Once you've heard enough, make your decision, and then count on your team to execute it with full passion,
2. Encourage a noisy system. Put people at ease by listening to them; genuinely desire to want what people know.
3. Remember that only people get things done. A leader must give followers an environment to get things done. Take a third of the time to plan, and give two-thirds of the time for people to execute.
4. Maintain an open-door policy. Let people see you when you're there, and be sure to give special access to those closest to you.
5. Probe the organization. Walk the "grounds" everyday, allowing people access to you. If you uncover something affecting your organization or team that requires attention, close the loop and let those involved know the outcome.
6. Reward your best performers and get rid of your non-performers. You must constantly prune. Otherwise, the leader who doesn't prune out the bad risks watching the good turn bad.
7. Be prepared to anger and/or disappoint some people.
8. Check your ego at the door. Don't tie ego to title.
9. Have fun in your role. Maintain hobbies outside of work that can settle your mind.
10. Fit no stereotypes.
11. Remember that perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Always assure those around you that the team will make it, that the problem will be solved. At the same time, don't do so with false statements.
12. Things always look better in the morning. Be optimistic of the day ahead.
13. Avoid war if at all possible. But when battles erupt, use your same processes to make decisions, then accept the fact your decisions will have to come faster.
14. Trust the element of instinct.
15. Prepare to be lonely.