Last year, when IBMasked more than 1,500 CEOs what leadership qualities they most valued, nearly two-thirds of those surveyed chose "creativity." In other studies as well, creativity has begun to outshine other presumed pillars of leadership.

What usually goes unexplained in these studies is exactly what creativity means in the business world, say Andy Boynton and William Bole, writing for Forbes.com. "It's easy to conjure up images of a brilliant person sitting alone in an office with the door shut, finger pressed tightly against forehead, mustering all the brainpower to hatch a thoroughly original notion."  Not so.

Boynton and Bole say the ideas that fuel innovation are seldom original in any unmingled way. More often than not, they are borrowed, much in the way that Apple's Phil Schiller glommed onto what became a winning feature of the original iPods. They write:

"A marketing executive (not a techie), Schiller did not dream up the notion of a click wheel, the lightning-fast scroll that helped separate the iPod from its poor MP3 cousins. He borrowed this feature from a motley assortment of electronics products dating to the early 1980s.

"Part of Schiller's feat was to take an idea from one environment and transport it to another. It was a simple case of repurposing an idea."

Most things business innovators do are borrowed and/or repurposed from other sources. Boynton and Bole claim that a creative manager "uncovers, selects, reshuffles, combines, and synthesizes already existing facts, ideas, faculties, and skills." The best business ideas are already out there, waiting to be spotted and then shaped into an innovation. "These ideas do not spring necessarily from innate creativity or from the minds of brilliant people. Rather, they come to those who are in the habit of looking for such ideas - all around them, all the time."

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In the midst of what seems like endless crisis, some managers have developed skills that allow them to rise above the fray. Here's how they've managed to do it.

Vickie Elmer, writing for Fortune.cnn.com, reports that more than 50% of workers say their productivity suffers as a result of stress.  Money, work, and the economy are the largest stressors in recent years, according to surveys by the American Psychological Association. Stress and pressure cost employers an estimated $300 billion a year in lost productivity, absenteeism, and turnover.

Managers and executives share this load. But some have developed an ability to thrive in an intense, competitive, fast-changing environment. Such people know how to bring out the best in their teams during a crisis.

Elmer points to a recent book by Justin Menkes, Better Under Pressure.  It is based on his work with corporate boards as they evaluate, test, and consider whom to hire or promote as their next CEO. Menkes gathered evaluations of 150 CEO candidates to isolate the behaviors that the top-performing quartile exhibited and the bottom quartile lacked. After five years of research, he found three consistent characteristics that the best leaders display:  

1.     Realistic optimism. The exceptional leaders demonstrated an ability to understand the actual circumstances of a crisis and see a chance to excel. Managers must "have a passion for confronting reality," referring to a pragmatic mindset.

2.     Finding order in chaos. This combines calmness, clarity of thought and a drive to fix the situation. It requires practice to stay clear-eyed and fearless when the world is tipping. It also requires zeal to solve a puzzle by engaging your staff.

3.  Subservience to purpose or corporate goals. This is a commitment to the higher calling or the greater good. Effective leaders keep the organization moving forward. Encouraging a team to come together around some important goal cultivates tenacity and encourages collaboration. 

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A study published by the Harvard Business Review looked at the effect of management feedback on employee productivity.  Here is how Results.com summarized the research.  The study showed that when managers give employee feedback regularly, whether positive or negative, it leads to improved performance. Some tips:

Give regular feedback: Don't wait for the performance review.  Managers should tell their employees frequently where they stand.  Performance should be made clearly visible so the whole team can see how everyone is tracking in real time.  Also, it is vital that managers meet one-on-one with each of their people (ideally once per week) to discuss progress.

Be direct: Feedback needs to be specific, objective, and frequent.  Comment directly about tangible progress on goals or about behaviors you have directly observed.

Different types of feedback vary in their effect. Some examples:

• Feedback that compares a worker's performance to that of their colleagues (the peer pressure effect) leads to productivity improvement.
• Direct negative feedback ("You are below standard for this Key Performance Indicator") leads to productivity improvement.
• Indirect negative feedback ("You are not performing well") worsens productivity.

Research also showed that positive reviews do little to boost productivity.  Negative reviews that are vague and indirect reduce performance.  Reviews that are directly negative cause productivity to leap.

Stephen Lynch at Results.com, says, "Yes, we do believe giving praise is important (and most managers probably do not praise their people enough), but it seems that when managers directly confront poor performance - this action has the highest impact on productivity.  Unfortunately, many managers shy away from this type of feedback as it can involve confrontation."  More. 

Only 25% of job success stems from intelligence and technical skills, according to a range of research studies.

If career success isn't primarily a function of intelligence, then what causes it? An article by Meridith Levinson in CIO Magazine claims that three factors are larger indicators of success: optimism, social support, and whether stress is viewed as an opportunity or threat.

"Our brains are designed to work better when they're in a positive state as opposed to a negative or neutral one," says consultant Shawn Achor, former Harvard psychology professor and author of The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology that Fuel Success and Performance at Work. Citing numerous studies, Achor says, "We find that when people are positive, it raises their productivity rate by 31 percent compared to when they're in a negative state of mind. Sales people sell 37 percent more than their negative counterparts. We know that doctors, when they're positive, perform diagnoses 19 percent more accurately."

The reason our brains function more effectively when we're in a positive state is largely chemical. When positive, they produce dopamine, the neurochemical related to pleasure, says Achor. Dopamine makes us feel good, activates the learning sensors in our brains, and gives our minds more energy. Consequently, positive brains see more possibilities, and productivity rises.

The good news for hopeless pessimists is that we can improve our outlook - and our happiness - by engaging in certain habits that promote positivity and optimism. And in so doing, we can increase our productivity and be more successful. Here are some tips from Achor.

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