"It is hard to imagine Napoleon as a businessman, but I have thought that if he had applied himself to commerce, he would have been the greatest businessman the world has ever known."  - John D Rockefeller 

Napoleon Bonaparte ran a war machine and rewrote France's laws while sleeping four or five hours a night. His habits hold up well for anyone leading a team today.

He handled one issue at a time. People described how he mentally sorted his responsibilities into separate compartments and opened only the one in front of him. He blocked out time for a single topic, and let all the other problems wait their turn.

He ranked problems by when they needed answers. A decision that was due next month got no attention today, no matter how loudly people pushed for it. If you don’t plan out your day, someone or something else will.

Napoleon guarded his energy. On long military campaigns he took short naps wherever he could, then woke ready to work.

He multiplied his own reach. Accounts from his staff describe him dictating to several secretaries in turn, so his thinking never stalled while paperwork caught up. Delegate the replaceable tasks so you can keep your calendar open for the calls only you can make.

Like a chess player, he prepared before he moved. In 1805, his army covered hundreds of miles from the French coast to the Danube in weeks, because supply and routes were arranged well in advance. Speed followed preparation.