A nation which has forgotten the quality of courage which in the past has been brought to public life is not as likely to insist upon or regard that quality in its chosen leaders today - and in fact we have forgotten.

I want to speak up and tell you that mascara and clothes don't make you cool neither do name-brand handbags but being a leader can.

I definitely wasn't cool in high school. I really wasn't. I did belong to many of the clubs and was in leadership on yearbook and did the musical theater route so I had friends in all areas. But I certainly did not know what to wear did not know how to do my hair all those things.

If you can get a teen leader in each sector of a student population you can pull people in. Everybody wants to get involved but most are too afraid. When they see a person they think is cool leading it they're first to join.

When I look at President Obama I see a leader with a cool head a caring heart and an open mind a president who has demonstrated through his demeanor and through his deeds that he is uniquely qualified to heal our divisions rebuild our nation and lead us to a brighter future together.

Stop being conned by the old mantra that says 'Leaders are cool managers are dweebs.' Instead follow the Peters Principle: Leaders are cool. Managers are cool too!

I work on OpenBSD fulltime as the project leader. I set some directions increase communication between the developers and try to be involved in nearly every aspect of the base system.

Polite and velvety leaders who take care to avoid bruising others are generally not as effective at forcing change.

The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers. Are the followers reaching their potential? Are they learning? Serving? Do they achieve the required results? Do they change with grace? Manage conflict?

The creative destruction that social media is currently unleashing will change more than technology or the leader board of the Fortune 100. It is driving a qualitative shift in the nature of relationships between brands and their customers.

Hope and change? We're not doing that anymore. They're doing attack and blame. And so I just think people are going to see through this. They want real leadership. They want us to get this country on the right track.

So here's the question: Without a change in leadership why would the next four years be any different from the last four years?

Until we totally change the way we elect our leaders until we remove private money from public campaigns lying will be the de facto method of governance in this country.

I don't think that a leader can control to any great extent his destiny. Very seldom can he step in and change the situation if the forces of history are running in another direction.

Time is neutral and does not change things. With courage and initiative leaders change things.

Millions of young Americans have graduated from college during the Obama presidency ready to use their gifts and get moving in life. Half of them can't find the work they studied for or any work at all. So here's the question: Without a change in leadership why would the next four years be any different from the last four years?

Of course there is no question that Libya - and the world - will be better off with Gaddafi out of power. I along with many other world leaders have embraced that goal and will actively pursue it through non-military means. But broadening our military mission to include regime change would be a mistake.