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 Manish Chopra, Manoj Leelanivas, Marshall Goldsmith, Lorna Borenstein, and a collection of lessons from four CEOs.

From Manish Chopra: Want to be a better leader? Observe more and react less

“In my case, I stumbled upon an ancient meditation technique that, to my surprise, improved my mind’s ability to better resist the typical temptations that get in the way of developing productive and healthy habits. Much in the same way that intense, focused physical activity serves to energize and revitalize the body during the rest of the day, meditation is for me—and for the many other people who use it—like a mental aerobic exercise that declutters and detoxifies the mind to enhance its metabolic activity.”

From Erika Brown Ekiel: Manoj Leelanivas: “Know Your Blind Spots”

“What the CEO of a cyber security firm has learned from fighting the bad guys.”

From Marshall Goldsmith: Six Questions to Increase Employee Engagement (video)

“Leadership author and executive coach Marshall Goldsmith — who is always skeptical of catchphrases like employee engagement — talks about the qualities necessary to galvanize individuals’ commitment at work.”

From Adam Bryant: Lorna Borenstein of Grokker: Invest in People for the Long Term

“That combination of curiosity and frugality got me interested in business. When I was 11, I started working on weekends in the garment district in Montreal. Initially, I was just unpacking boxes.”

From Rob Morris: Lessons from leading CEOs

“From dealing with financial crises to fending off a hostile takeover bid, these chief executives have seen it all. Here, they share their greatest challenges and biggest business lessons.”