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 Mitch Krebs, Lori Dickerson Fouché, Frances Hesselbein, Katy Lynch, Natalia and Maria Ruderman.

From Thomas Watson: Q&A with Mitch Krebs

“As an ambitious Iowa farm kid, Coeur Mining CEO Mitch Krebs always dreamed of running a company, imagining what it would be like to be surrounded by success like Donald Trump, instead of seemingly endless fields of bean and corn crops. That dream stayed with him after graduating university and landing a job on Wall Street, so Krebs set his sights on getting a Harvard MBA. In 2011, all the career planning and hard work paid off when the largest U.S.-based silver producer named Krebs as its new CEO. At the time, the company looked healthy. But within a week of being CEO, Krebs realized that good times in the commodity markets had hidden big problems at Coeur, which employs about 2,100 people and operates five precious metals mines in the Americas. In this Ivey Interview, Krebs talks about how to fight unexpected challenges as a new CEO, not to mention how to deal with the kind of late-night calls that make you scared of hearing your phone ring.”

From Adam Bryant: Lori Dickerson Fouché of Prudential on the Limits of Self-Reliance

“The chief executive of Prudential Group Insurance learned in her early days of management that asking for help was O.K. (With video.)”

From Sally Helgesen: Frances Hesselbein’s Merit Badge in Leadership

“The former CEO of the Girl Scouts has spent decades bringing professional management to nonprofits.”

From Caroline McMillan Portillo: Techweek’s new CEO, Katy Lynch, has big plans for the popular conference series

“After navigating sexism complaints born of a bikini fashion show and some ill-advised marketing materials, Techweek needed a facelift. And according to experts, the popular conference series also needed a full-time CEO. The Chicago-based company’s board of directors introduced that leader this week: 30-year-old social media maven Katy Lynch.”

From Patricia R. Olsen: Natalia Maria Ruderman of IBM: A Sweet Spot for Global Traditions

“The IBM Latin America headquarters has two floors of a building in a newer, primarily commercial area in the southern part of São Paulo. I’m on the 21st floor. When I arrived a year and a half ago, I’d see a number of favelas, or slums, over the river that runs near our building. I need only glance out my window to be reminded of the transformation that’s occurring. The favelas are being replaced with low-income apartment buildings. It’s been gratifying to watch.”