Most anything that requires energy needs fuel to burn. If you go for a long drive your car requires gasoline (or diesel, or nowadays electricity). If you run a marathon (or do any strenuous cardio-vascular activities) your body requires fuel to keep it going.

Ok, so I’ve stated the obvious. Here’s what I’m leading to: Working effectively as a leader requires fuel or energy. Physical aspects aside, you need to have a source of energy –or renewal – to develop your leadership skills and give you ideas of how you can improve.

One of my favorite resources for increased learning about leadership is Investor’s Business Daily (IBD). IBD is most widely known for its great financial information and automated tools and tables for investing. However, the reason I started reading IBD more than five years ago was for the Leaders & Success section. The L & S section has three subsections:
1. Wisdom to Live By: Quotes by famous leaders from all over the world and all walks of life.
2. IBD’s 10 Secrets to Success: A list of ten traits they’ve observed in leaders from all walks of life. Each day they write an article where they apply one of the ten secrets through specific examples of people living that principle.
3. Leaders & Success profiles: A daily profile of a successful leader. For example, a few days ago they wrote an inspiring article about George Washington. Quite often they include a “Best of Leaders and Success” reprint from an older edition.

Have you read IBD? If so please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. If not I suggest you buy a copy next time you’re in the airport or at a newsstand; I promise you will learn and be inspired by the great leaders you read about.

Disclosure: I have no affiliation with Investor’s Business Daily beyond being a subscriber to their eIBD.