Book excerpt: A look at the 30 virtues of good business that have inspired success in thousands of leaders, by the man voted Boss of the Year, 1994. Persistent, honest, resourceful, creative -- these adjectives begin to define the qualities of a great business leader. Along with the 26 other virtues enumerated in Wisdom, Inc., they are the fundamentals behind a business strategy that works, but they often get lost beneath passing fads and the color of one's parachute. Seth Godin's simple, highly readable handbook of business virtues will help everyone from assistant managers to CEOs cultivate habits that lead to a lifetime of good business. Godin interviewed 1,500 top executives from a wide range of industries to isolate the 30 virtues consistently named by respondents. Each virtue is addressed with inspirational stories of historical business leaders who distinguished themselves by exhibiting that virtue, as well as modern-day accounts by the executives interviewed demonstrating how the virtue has contributed to their companies' successes. Most important, each virtue is accompanied by a section entitled "To Do Today," which provides concrete suggestions for immediately incorporating the virtue into a daily routine. Both practical and inspirational, Wisdom, Inc. is a perfect gift or anyone in business.