In Winning, former General Electric CEO Jack Welch says he found that some ways of leading always seem to work in creating a winning company – and that they became his “rules:”

1. Leaders relentlessly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach and build self-confidence.  Take every opportunity to inject self-confidence into those who have earned it.  Use ample praise, the more specific the better.

2. Leaders make sure people not only see the vision, they live and breathe it.  There were times I talked about the company’s direction so much in one day, that I was completely sick of hearing it myself.

3. Leaders get into everyone’s skin, exuding positive energy and optimism.  Unhappy tribes have a tough time winning.

4. Leaders establish trust with candor, transparency, and credit.  Leaders never score off their own people by stealing an idea and claiming it as their own.

5. Leaders have the courage to make unpopular decisions and gut calls.  Don’t run for office.  You’re already elected.

6. Leaders probe and push with a curiosity that borders on skepticism, making sure their questions are answered with action.  “We’ll look into it,” says Welch, is the all-too-common business head fake.

7. Leaders inspire risk taking and learning by setting an example.  There is no edict in the world that will make people take risks or spend their time learning.

8. Leaders celebrate.  Celebrating makes people fell like winners.