[December 21, 2016] One thing I like most about great leaders is that they don’t mince their words. My grandmother reminded me often to “speak plainly and loudly” if I wanted to be heard above others. She was one to never filter what she thought and taught all us grandchildren to never disguise our thinking in “double talk… Read More »
[December 20, 2016] Confusion, chaos, and frustration will result from simple miscommunications and, unsurprisingly, is a fundamental problem whenever humans are involved with one another. At its most basic level, good leadership means establishing formal definitions in a leadership toolbox for selected concepts as a way to avoid potential misunderstandings; we call these terms of reference. Miscommunications will… Read More »
[December 19, 2016] Yesterday was World War One’s 100th anniversary of the last day of the Battle of Verdun; December 18, 1916. Most folks will have little interest about this particular battle but at the time it was the longest, largest, and most destructive battle in human history and also part of the first global war. We should… Read More »
[December 18, 2016] In early 2005, my military unit returned from a one-year stint in Iraq and my first tour in that country. Once back in the United States, I jotted down a few of my thoughts about the war, the Iraqis, terrorists, combat, contractors, home town folks, reporters, and politicians. Over the next few weeks, I’ll provide… Read More »
[December 17, 2016] In 1983 I was a new Second Lieutenant attending the U.S. Army Officer Basic Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. On my first day I purchased the 42nd Edition of The Army Officer’s Guide, copyright 1983 … and still have it on my desk today! The professional development of any leader can be traced to that… Read More »
[December 16, 2016] One of the many advantages of being a senior military Flag Officer is that you get to meet some of the most talented people in the world. Whether it was a business entrepreneur, religious figure, or political leader, our senior military personnel have met them to exchange ideas. What many of us discovered is that… Read More »
[December 15, 2016] “Your senior Warrant Officer has been arrested for taking bribes and giving favorable treatment to contractors,” so said a Criminal Investigation Division1 employee to me one day. One of the greatest shocks in my career was when one of my most trusted associates had, years earlier, given U.S. and foreign contractors unethical favors for monetary… Read More »
[December 14, 2016] Today’s senior leader blog post is inspired by Michael Barone’s article yesterday entitled “Some Free Advice for the Democratic Party.”1 The point of his article is a simple recommendation for the Party; end the alibi game, he writes. This resonated with me and I’ve many times advised leaders never blame the other guy for your… Read More »
[December 13, 2016] Too many senior leaders have led their followers down the road of anger and despair, oftentimes from wishful thinking. Whenever I reflect upon wishful thinking by leaders, I think back to the day I heard about the Reverend Jim Jones and his cult’s 1978 mass murder-suicide. The reasons are, of course, complex but it appears… Read More »
[December 12, 2016] Many books, articles, news stories, and such have written about bad bosses and all of us have spoken to one another about the poor leadership we’ve experienced. And I’ve written about the topic before (see links here, here, and here). Oftentimes leaders present a common picture of those traits of bad junior leaders who are… Read More »