From Jim Collins, author of Built to Last and Good to Great, interviewed in the August 25, 2008 issue of Business Week:

"The idea of a personal board of directors came to me when I was in my 20s.  I drew a little conference table on a sheet of paper with seven chairs around it and wrote names on them of people I admired.  I pasted it above my computer and would look up an in my mind poll the personal board when I was wrestling with tough questions.  If I as really stuck, I might talk to some of them.  It’s sort of like a group of tribal elders that you create for yourself."

According to Indian guru, Sathya Sai Baba: 



“To be” is the source of leadership. “To do” is the style of leadership.  “To see” and “to tell” are the tools, techniques, and functions of leadership.



“To be” forms the foundation of leadership qualities as it involves deeply the character and selflessness. The essential qualities in this category include courage, will power, initiative, knowledge of the job and the self, and the ability to deal with people of different kinds and tastes.  “To do” forms the style of functioning that is unique to each leader.  “To see” is the prime aspect of decision making wherein the leader has to forecast both about the appraisals as well the short falls in the near future as well the far future, and hence plan accordingly.  “To tell” is the communication part that forms the basics of all the soft skills possessed by any leader; an integral aspect that molds a person into a good leader.