As a leader, perhaps nothing is more important to your organization than protecting the legacy of your expertise — making sure that the deep knowledge you've acquired is successfully passed on to those who come after you.

Steve Jobs died six years ago. During his lifetime he was the subject of more than two dozen books, documentaries and feature films. And in the years since his death public curiosity has hardly diminished.

"Speak truth to power." Of all the advice given to new managers, these four words may be the hardest to carry out. Communicating upwards is risky. One never knows if the recipient will listen with respect or blame the messenger. How should you deliver tough news to your boss?

Zappos sells shoes and consumer goods online. A string quartet performs classical music. Zappos has more than 1,500 employees. A string quartet only four. Zappos was founded in 1999 and is now a leading 21st century corporation. String quartets—two violins, a viola, and cello—have not changed since the form was created about 250 years ago.