1. Look ahead A survey of 360-degree assessments by academics at Insead, the French business school, found that female managers rate higher than men on almost all leadership qualities, including motivation, team-building, tenacity and emotional intelligence. Their report published in the Harvard Business Review (January) shows that they came behind men in only one vital quality - vision. It's a shame, because it is arguably the most important one. The researchers say there are three possible explanations: women are equally visionary, but in a different way to men; women hestitate to go out on a limb; or women don't put much stock in vision (preferring to emphase their ability to get things done). Either way, women need to work on the perception that they lack visionary skills because it is holding them back, the authors write.

2. Dig deep Yet another survey shows that businesses are ill-prepared to weather the economic storm. The Management Consultancies Association (MCA) says this week that 82percent of businesses “have not positioned themselves adequately to fight the recession”. It warns that they have not invested enough time or money in planning or economic forecasting or improving products and services to retain customers.

3. Feel the emotion “For far too long, emotions have been ignored in favour of rationality and efficiency,” says Dan Hill, author of the new business book Emotionomics (Kogan Page, £19.99). Mr Hill is an expert in something called facial coding - deducing emotions from our expressions. In this book, he urges readers to use his techniques to understand and manipulate emotions to our benefit in the market and work places. Top tip: a true smile is easily distinguished from a social or false one.

4. Rev up the engine Rather than looking for visionary skill or examining facial twitches, Edge magazine reports on an easier way to separate winners from losers - give them your car keys. According to Management Intelligence, the business consultants,the best way to distinguish top performers is to put them behind the wheel of a car. The theory is that people let down their guard and reveal their true selves while driving. “Their driving can reveal all sorts of information about their personality - aggression, focus, spatial awareness, attitude to risk, their overall confidence and judgment levels,” according to the consultants. They also recommend watching people interact with animals for clues to their leadership potential - presumably because animals don't respond to bull.

5. Get ready for Christmas Head to Frankfurt on January 30 for Christmasworld for insight into what customers will want next Yuletide, from gyrating snowmen to violet and turquoise trimmings, reports Fast Company (January).

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