I think that one of the best ways to learn leadership isn’t studying “leadership” at all. Instead, study individual leaders in their natural habitat and decide what they do that you want to try. Articles by and about leaders and interviews with them are mini-case studies that show you an actual leader in a real situation.

That’s why, every week, I bring you a selection of post about individual leaders. This week I’m pointing you to pieces by and about Howard Schultz, Charles Koch, Gotham Chopra, Jackie Wilson, and Abe Ankumah.

From Carmine Gallo: How Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Inspired Us To Dream Bigger

“The story serves as the foundation for nearly every initiative Starbucks put in place under Schultz’ leadership: health benefits for part-time workers, tuition assistance, veterans hiring, and an employee stock purchase program.”

Thanks to Smartbrief on Leadership for pointing me to this story

From the Economist: Charles Koch is a rare thing, a businessman besotted with ideas

“Charles Koch is a rare thing, a businessman besotted with ideas.”

Wally’s Comment: I recommend Charles Koch’s book, The Science of Success. The title makes it sound silly, but the book is excellent.

From Ronald D. White: He learned by studying greatness

“Gotham Chopra, 41, is a journalist turned documentarian whose six-part series, ‘The Religion of Sports,’ recently began airing on the Audience Network. Chopra previously directed the 2015 Showtime documentary ‘Muse,’ about future Hall of Fame basketball player Kobe Bryant. Another of Chopra’s efforts involved Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and his team’s successful 2011 quest for his nation’s first world championship. Chopra’s current work involves projects with basketball star Lebron James and recently retired baseball star David Ortiz.”

From Stan Linhorst: Jackie Wilson leads a fast-growing fashion design business in CNY

“Jackie Wilson has built a fast-growing fashion company in Central New York. Since 2013, revenue at American Fashion Network has skyrocketed ten-fold.”

From Adam Bryant: Abe Ankumah of Nyansa: Are You a ‘First Principle’ Thinker?

“I was planning to go to the top university in Ghana, but when I graduated from high school, the primary universities were on strike. So I applied to universities outside the country. I ended up going to Caltech. I gravitated quickly toward computer science and electrical engineering, which was a little crazy because the first time I used a computer in my life was at Caltech. There were other students in the class who had been using computers since they were 5 years old. I had to work three or four times harder. I would stay up studying through the night, but I had some experience doing that from high school.”