Leadership is about other people, not about the leader—leaders should stay in the background, not foreground; this is why Randall has maintained anonymity for 30 years before launching public course.

Best leaders studied in one large energy company had both high results and high followership (called 'admired leaders')—when examining their management teams, the CEO and his direct reports assumed they would all be admired leaders, but only two actually were, revealing that admired leadership is rare even among senior executives.

Understanding leaders requires asking them about their self-perception of signature strengths and weaknesses (as humans, not just as leaders), checking that against what close others (spouses, family) perceive, and asking what first impressions they think they give others—these questions reveal self-awareness and the gap between self-perception and reality.

The difference between a 'technique' and a 'routine' in leadership: a technique is something done for effect in specific situations (when you want a particular outcome), while a routine is something done consistently because you believe in it as part of your identity—routines are mastered through constant practice and become natural habits, whereas techniques remain sporadic and signal manipulation.

Excellence in all physical and mental domains—from dancing to golf to exam preparation—has foundational routines; therefore it should not be surprising that leadership also comprises specific behavioral routines.