Brad Smith, CEO of Intuit melds innovation with profit-motive. He has instituted unstructured time where employees can use ten percent of their time to work on any project they choose. Smith's focus on design helped to overcome the perception that financial software is boring and dull. Smith attributes his success as a leader to lessons learned throughout life, including from his parents, academic career, and extracurricular experience.

• What personal traits does Brad Smith possess that aid him as a leader? Are these traits consistent with the early trait perspectives on leadership?
• How would you describe Brad Smith's leadership style? Which leadership concepts, models, or theories best reflect how he leads?
• Do you believe that Smith's gender played a part in his success? Why or why not?
• What are three important leadership lessons that you can learn from Smith's career path?