On leadership.

Whether you're a fan of old time hockey or not -- or if you are, whether you're a fan of the Bruins or not -- you could learn a lot from their goalie Tim Thomas, who pitched a shutout last night against the Lightning.

Unlike a lot of high-profile athletes who take credit and lay blame, he's the opposite.

When things go bad, particularly when the guys in front of him do something boneheaded and put him in a tough spot, he's the first to defend them. To pick them up. And even take the blame with an "I should have made that stop" comment. He takes all the pressure off his teammates and places it squarely on his shoulders, because he knows he needs them at the top of their games the next time they hit the ice.

And when he stands on his head and doesn't let a single puck get past him, like last night, he talks about the guys in front of him. About how they made the tough plays and kept the puck in front of them and kept the forecheck on and kept the pressure up. He deflects all the positive attention from himself and showers his teammates with it, because he knows he needs them to be at the top of their games the next time they hit the ice.

No matter what your job, if you're in a position of leadership, your job is to get the best out of your team. To get them to get outside their comfort zones and go to places they didn't even think they could go. When they know you have their backs, in good times or bad, they'll work their asses off for you. And deliver.

And make you look good.

On leadership.

In the words of leadership guru Kyle Craig, there's leadership and there's management. Both are necessary to run a business, but for a lot of people in leadership positions the latter is mistaken for the former.

Management is about making sure boxes are checked and details are, well, managed. Things in their right places.

Leadership, however, is about inspiration. Inspiring people to give their all and do their best.

Leadership requires empathy. Foresight. Humility. Sacrifice. Trust. Risk.

If you truly want to be a leader – whether your job title says you are, you want your job title to say you are, or you are simply inclined to do it regardless of your position – you need to know the people you are leading.

I mean, really know them. How do they think? How do they process feedback? When are they at their best? Are they the type that come up with their best ideas when they're doing something else? Or do they do best when they hole up in their office and crank? What motivates them? A kick in the ass? A pat on the back? Know them. Then you can inspire them, and push them out of their comfort zones into places they didn't think possible. That's where their best work resides.

Managers tend to do things their own way, and expect other people to come to them.

Great leaders are chameleons. They understand the power of empathy.

If you can't do that, you may still end up in management.

But you'll never be a leader.