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 posts by and about Sara Blakely, Biz Stone, Bradley Shaw, Scott Petinga, and Brad Smith.

From Pam Huff: Sara Blakely talks Spanx

“Sara Blakely, one of the youngest female billionaires around, talks about her entrepreneurial journey so far, and the success of Spanx.”

From Business Week: Biz Stone on Twitter’s Creation, Vulnerability, His Startup Jelly

“Charlie Rose Talks to Twitter Co-Founder Biz Stone”

Bonus: “Biz Stone on Being Twitter’s ‘Best Supporting Actor’ and His Secret Startup Idea” by Nellie Bowles

From the Globe and Mail: The poker-faced Bradley Shaw pegs his future on WiFi

“Just call him the new-age cable guy. Back in 2005, some five years before Bradley Shaw became chief executive officer of Shaw Communications Inc., he met a Tibetan holy man who taught him a lesson about leadership.”

From Steve Blue: Scott Petinga of Akquracy: When the status quo just won’t do

“Think differently. Be innovative. Make a difference. Every CEO has said it, or something like it. We’ve opened meetings with these remarks. We’ve peppered speeches with these chants. Scott Petinga, worldwide chairman and CEO of Akquracy, a data-driven marketing firm, actually built his company on these principles.”

From Adam Bryant: Brad Smith of Intuit: Follow the Fastest Beat of Your Heart

“My dad worked for Nestlé for 26 years and ended up being the mayor of our hometown. One of the lessons I learned from him was to never mistake kindness for weakness. They said about my dad that when he walked into the room, the first thing you saw was a smile and the last thing you remember when he left was a smile. My dad could be very tough on the issues, but he treated everybody like a human being — always be kind and generous, but always stand your ground.”