Schwarzkopf on Leadership

Give yourself a clear agenda. Every morning write down the five most important things for you to accomplish that day. Whatever else you do, get those five things done. Insist that the people who report to you operate the same way.

Let people know where they stand. Everyone knows you do a disservice to a B student when you give him or her an A. That applies not just to schools. The grades you give the people who report to you must reflect reality.

What's broken, fix now. Don't put it off. Problems that aren't dealt with lead to other problems. Besides, something else will break and need fixing tomorrow.

No repainting the flagpole. Make sure all the work your people are doing is essential to the organization.

From this 1992 interview with General Norman Schwarzkopf.