Leading: Lessons in leadership from the legendary Manchester United manager

It sounds simple to say you should believe what your eyes tell you, but it is very hard to do.

If I were running a company, I would always want to listen to the thoughts of its most talented youngsters, because they are the people most in touch with the realities of today and the prospects for tomorrow.

advice often comes when you least expect it, and listening, which costs nothing, is one of the most valuable things you can do.

Observation – sizing up others and measuring situations – is an essential part of preparation,

these influence what we see, or, more precisely, what we think we see.

For me there are two forms of observation: the first is on the detail and the second is on the big picture.

There’s a reason that God gave us two ears, two eyes and one mouth. It’s so you can listen and watch twice as much as you talk. Best of all, listening costs you nothing.