Mark Cuban has had a great deal of success starting companies, and leading them, in his way.  He believes in keeping companies flat, fun, and focused.  At Entrepreneur, he lists 12 rules for the people who start new businesses, and for potential employees of startups.  A few of Cuban's rules might sound familiar, but they are worth highlighting.  Like rule #4:

Sales Cure All. Know how your company will make money and how you will actually make sales.

and #5:

Know your core competencies and focus on being great at them. Pay up for people in your core competencies. Get the best. Outside the core competencies, hire people that fit your culture but aren't as expensive to pay.

But we also find it interesting that Cuban clearly feels strongly about the type of environment that he believes foster success.  For example, #7:

No offices. Open offices keep everyone in tune with what is going on and keep the energy up. If an employee is about privacy, show him or her how to use the lock on the bathroom. There is nothing private in a startup. This is also a good way to keep from hiring executives who cannot operate successfully in a startup. My biggest fear was always hiring someone who wanted to build an empire. If the person demands to fly first class or to bring over a personal secretary, run away. If an exec won't go on sales calls, run away. They are empire builders and will pollute your company.

Read Mark Cuban's 12 Rules for Startups here.