My parents met at Fort Riley, Kan., during World War II. My father was an Army civilian; he had been trampled by a horse in his youth and couldn't enlist. My mother was studying to be a nurse and, when war broke out, joined the Women's Army Corps without even telling her parents.

In times of uncertainty, employees crave clarity. As a leader, you won't always have all of the answers - no one expects you to - so you must be open to listening and learning from others. Once you understand a particular challenge and outline the options, you have to be confident in making bold and optimistic decisions.

The best candidates make a strong case for themselves. They can clearly articulate why they are the best choice for the job - and they can tell me what unique qualities they bring that no one else can offer.

The best employees are those who bring real energy and initiative to the job. I like to know whether you're the kind of person who can set priorities, take initiative, and drive results right from the beginning.

It was clear to me as a civil rights leader in the '60s that unless we put the social and economic underpinnings beneath the political and the civil rights, we wouldn't go anywhere.

My noble respect also goes to the anti-Japanese revolutionary forerunners, martyrs of the People's Army and other patriotic martyrs who dedicated all their precious things to promoting the development of our Party and the prosperity of the country in loyal support of the great leaders.

Those fundamentally liberal values - openness, inclusion, internationalism - are what truly represent the best of Britain, and it's those values that I'm determined to fight for as leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Using cold facts and figures, leaders throughout the West must become more transparent with their citizens in explaining their decisions and their choices in global markets.