Leadership

Kayak takes on the big dogs

Founder Paul English battles the likes of Expedia and Priceline by recruiting great talent and making the customer king.

By Geoff Colvin, senior editor-at-large

FORTUNE -- A successful July IPO drew attention to the surprising story of Kayak (KYAK), an online travel site that's succeeding where you'd least expect it. Launched in 2005, it faced established competitors like Expedia (EXPE), Orbitz (OWW), Travelocity, and Priceline (PCLN), and Google (GOOG) and Microsoft MORE

What biz leaders can learn from jazz

Unlike business school, jazz shows us that following others is, in its own way, a higher form of leadership. Here's why companies should take note. By Frank J. Barrett

Is Obama or Romney a better leader? How to judge.

Here are five crucial leadership skills for the most powerful CEO of all -- the U.S. President.

By John Ryan

FORTUNE -- With the U.S. presidential election fast approaching, we will hear a lot from pundits and partisans over the next few months, not to mention President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney themselves, about how one candidate's leadership skills are superior to his opponent's.

You can take their word for it -- MORE

Leadership lessons from lunar landings

The space race may be over, but a visit to mission control can still impart plenty of wisdom. Fortune journeyed inside the Conference Board Apollo Leadership Experience.

By Beth Kowitt, writer

FORTUNE -- As someone who came of age after the space race, I never fantasized about becoming an astronaut. Sure, space exploration was cool, but my interest was mostly limited to catching a bit of The Right Stuff while MORE

Why boards fail to choose the right CEO

Directors must seize control of CEO selection and pursue the task in a way that's fundamentally new at most companies. Here are a few of the most critical steps boards need to take. By Ram Charan

Why many entrepreneurs come across as jerks

Despite the convention that entrepreneurs act like arrogant babies, most exceptional leaders tend to balance their convictions with a sense of healthy dose of humility. By Anthony Tjan

Meet the National Aquarium's first fish doctor

Brent Whitaker talks to Fortune about dreaming of a job that didn't yet exist and making a celebrity out of a sperm whale named "Inky." Interview by Shelley DuBois

Fortune's Fantasy Sports Exec League: We have a winner

Our first-ever interactive fantasy game has wrapped; we're ready to share some inside stats about the standings and crown the winning roster.

By Daniel Roberts, reporter

FORTUNE -- When Fortune managing editor Andy Serwer suggested we build some kind of online, interactive game around this year's Executive Dream Team feature, a sports theme seemed obvious. Because the list would be revealed in late July, and the game would start in late MORE

How a Penn State debacle could happen at your company

The meltdown at Penn State could happen anywhere, under the right conditions. By Jill Geisler

A communication expert's top executive speakers

Presentation expert Mary Civiello describes her ideal executive communicators. 

FORTUNE – Mary Civiello is president of Civiello Communications Group, a media consultancy that works with top executives and others on their communications and presentation skills. (Full disclosure: She has advised some Fortune editors and writers.) She's the author, with Arlene Matthews, of Communications Counts: Business Presentations for Busy People. At Fortune's request, she reviewed presentations and speeches of our Fortune Fantasy MORE