[October 31, 2017] Now that it’s scary Halloween1, it would be appropriate to take on the frightening topic of politics influencing organizations. A question often asked is whether leaders should allow politics to influence their organization’s mission and values. It’s a question often addressed at the most senior levels in nearly every organization. Those answers rarely concur but… Read More »
[October 30, 2017] If you are a leader and you don’t have the answer, don’t pretend you do. Yes, I know, the most hated words in leadership are, “I don’t know.” But the shortest way to lose credibility is to claim you do know it all. Nothing is more frustrating for a good leader than to have another… Read More »
[October 29, 2017] Growing up I had a few heroes. Like most of my buddies, we were enthralled by the famous exploits of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, President Teddy Roosevelt, and astronaut John Glenn. Each of these men with their own individual leadership style was a major contributor to the advancement of America’s scientific community. In February 1962,… Read More »
[October 28, 2017] In this on-going series of those with new and often controversial ideas (mostly complex and original), I will focus today on Ralph Peters; retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, political commentator, and author. Peters is an unconventional, out-of-the box thinker who holds a formidable allegiance to the United States and its people. Like others whom I’ve… Read More »
[October 27, 2017] I was excited to be selected as a U.S. Army Company Commander for the first time; something all officers properly look forward to in their development as a leader. Fortunately, my Battalion Commander was a good man who took the time to speak frankly with me and give advice on how to be successful. One… Read More »
[October 26, 2017] Contrary to the commonsense notion that senior leaders undertake great efforts to develop strategies that encompass all elements of their power, many are not concerned about strategy. A new book out by Victor Davis Hanson posits that the Axis Powers leading up to World War II were driven by tactical ambition and overlooked the Allied… Read More »
[October 25, 2017] At the fall of the city of Saigon, May 1975, thousands made a miraculous escape from advancing communist North Vietnamese forces. The story of one family, with young children in tow, recently captivated a group of military veterans with their exploits of their escape, terror, miracles, and adversity suffered and, of course, how they endured.… Read More »
[October 23, 2017] Those folks who’ve lived in times of great chaos and survived have a certain level of awe and respect that surrounds them. Much has been written and stories told of those times where people endured a crisis, tradgedy, confusion, and uncertainty, only to emerge as victors over chaos. “You never want a serious crisis to… Read More »
[October 23, 2017] Controversy comes from many sources and in a variety of forms. All of us, in particular leaders, swim in the sea of controversy our entire professional lives. But it is up to us to navigate those waters in such a way that enhances our relationships (social, political, economic, educational) with all others – not just… Read More »
[October 22, 2017] U.S. football legend Roger Staubach once said that “there are no traffic jams along the extra mile.” As in any part of life, going beyond what is expected or required will put you ahead of others. The idiom Going the Extra Mike is a well-known idea that is both tried (by us all) and true.… Read More »