[August 10, 2014] An old military axiom is to “never underestimate your enemy”. The British underestimated General Washington and in 1777 the Brits lost the Battle of Princeton when they thought Washington had been defeated and was fleeing. The British General Cornwallis said, “We’ve got the old fox safe now. We’ll go over and bag him in the… Read More »
[August 09, 2014] Leadership is a complex and difficult endeavor. In these pages we have discussed those things that make up the character of the greatest and most successful leaders. We also know that the culture of any society also helps determine both the virtues of that leader and the times in which the greatest prevail. Forty years… Read More »
[August 08, 2014] A few years ago I lived in a town that took advantage of the law. The law allowed city governments to charge cable companies for operating in their jurisdiction. Most communities do this today. It’s a subtle way of obtaining additional revenue without directly taxing citizens. Unexpectedly, the cable companies put a line-item on their… Read More »
[August 08, 2014] A good friend and military veteran passed along a book reference he thought I might like. Most of the books on senior leaders I’ve read or at least heard about but this one somehow got pass me. The book by Edgar Puryear is about four famous generals: Eisenhower, Bradley, Marshall, and Patton. I have not… Read More »
[August 07, 2014] My old drill sergeant was right. I dislike admitting that he could give advice on military tactics that I could agree. I was not particular fond of him since he brought a bit too much terror into my life as a basic trainee. He had seven Infantry combat tours in Vietnam, a very rare and… Read More »
[August 07, 2014] My English teacher Mrs. Whitehead from my High School days would disapprove of this title because it ends in a preposition. My senior class was the one that did not do well that year and so we were regularly schooled on grammar basics and she was a success in that despite our lack of talent.… Read More »
[August 06, 2014] The demands made on military commanders are awesome; yet little is provided in the way of guidance. Commanders that make rapid, sound decisions are highly valued and promoted quickly to higher levels of responsibility. The problem is that decisions made rapidly often encounter resistance in application. Regardless whether the decision is the best or not, how… Read More »
[August 06, 2014] “Giving back.” My grandmother told me many times that the trait that separated the most honorable people from the “average Joe” was the giving to those in need. Her philosophy was a religious one and something she believed in deeply. Senior leaders do more than give a few dollars to charitable organizations. The best of… Read More »
[August 05, 2014] Labor unions were in their glory days in the 1970s and 80s. They had just help elect President Ronald Reagan who took office in January of 1981. Yet on August 5th in 1981, one of the most important unions of the federal government had its striking workers fired by President Reagan – 11,359 of them.… Read More »
[August 05, 2014] As an Infantry company commander I once criticized a soldier for failing to provide proper maintenance on a truck. Problem was, it was not his truck to maintain. Yes, all the facts appeared to point to that soldier not doing his duty. Yes, the soldier had been in trouble for this earlier. In my haste… Read More »