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 Narinder Singh Chris Rose, Jim Coles, Alicia Cano, Carmela DeNero, and Zachary Rosen.

From Adam Bryant: Narinder Singh of Topcoder: Is It the Cards, or How You Play Them?

“This interview with Narinder Singh, president of Topcoder, which administers computer-programming competitions, was conducted and condensed by Adam Bryant.”

From Josh Pichler: Chris Rose carving out new niche with Arya

“Chris Rose has had more careers at age 45 than most people will have in a lifetime. There have been plenty of professional ups – and one very high-profile down after Rose brought the historic Rookwood Pottery brand back to Cincinnati in 2006 – but the designer’s outlook on life has remained constant.”

From Jill Phillips: 5 questions with Jim Coles

“Listen. That’s the best piece of advice James Coles Sr. received during his career.”

From the Orlando Sentinel: Female video-game makers navigate male dominated industry

“When Alicia Cano walked into her first college computer-engineering class, she saw about three women sitting in a room packed with 100 men.”

From Heather Somerville: Pantheon CEO Zachary Rosen on powering the Internet and building better bicycles

“At age 30, Zachary Rosen has three startups to his name and thousands of miles logged on his bicycle. The serial entrepreneur founded Chapter Three, a web design consulting business, in 2006, not long after dropping out of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Chapter Three was barely off the ground when he began building Mission Bicycle Company, an independent bike shop in San Francisco’s Mission District.”