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 Due Quach, Tony Xu, Tony Hsieh, Aileen Lee, and Chuck Williams.

From Erin E. Arvedlund: Turning her stress into a tool for others

“Calm Clarity is a Philadelphia-based ‘mind hacking’ start-up that aims to help everyone from corporate executives to students learn mindfulness, reduce toxic stress, and boost productivity. Not surprisingly, its founder was born in a war zone.”

From Erika Ekiel: DoorDash CEO: Solving Problems of Time-Starved People

“The food delivery startup looks to expand beyond the edible.”

From Lillian Cunningham: Tony Hsieh got rid of bosses at Zappos — and that’s not even his biggest idea

“Much has been made of Hsieh’s organizational daring. And many wonder: Is this experiment to create a supervisor-free workplace really working? But a more fundamental question might be: Why is he doing this?”

From Adam Bryant: Aileen Lee of Cowboy Ventures: Aim to See Beneath the Surface

“I’ve heard lots of stories of how many jobs everyone in my family had and how hard they worked. And so I always grew up feeling a lot of gratitude for all the sacrifices and all the hard work they had gone through so that I would not have to work so many jobs. I have a real sense of motivation from wanting to make sure that everything that they went through was worth it.”

From Robert D. McFadden: Chuck Williams, Founder of Williams-Sonoma, Dies at 100

“A soft-spoken, unassuming and jovial millionaire, Mr. Williams was the author of more than 200 cookbooks, which sold tens of millions of copies, and oversaw catalogs delivered to millions of homes. In recent years he cut back his travels, and he no longer selected the products. But he drove most days from his Russian Hill apartment to the company headquarters near Fisherman’s Wharf, took tea in the afternoons and loved to reminisce, especially about his discoveries.”