[February 27, 2018] On a muddy flat of palm trees, sand, and grass, U.S. General Peter W. Chiarelli, Commander 1st Calvary Division, was asked by an Infantry Squad Leader what he thought was the best thing he could do for the unit. This sergeant and his teammates had been under sustained enemy contact during the early part of… Read More »
[February 25, 2018] Today’s blog post will stray a little but is still about leadership and those things that make for great leaders. For those who are unaware of the man Richard Marcinko, he is the founder of the U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 and Red Cell. Often known by the name, Rogue Warrior,1 some ask the basic… Read More »
[February 8, 2018] Leadership today involves navigating some of the most difficult situations without any signpost markers along the way telling us which way is best. That means a leader must be, by definition, resilient, tough-minded, and inner directed But more than anything else, a leader must have the self-awareness to “see” solutions to the obstacles of life.… Read More »
[January 23, 2018] A new movie is out about the Britain’s PM Winston Churchill and the reviews were mixed. Historical inaccuracies aside, what this movie and other sources tell us, is that Churchill is a revered figure, worldwide for his leadership during World War II. We also know that Churchill had high energy and that is what helped… Read More »
[December 30, 2017] My intent here at theLeaderMaker.com is to not only discuss the core attributes of leadership but to also provide outstanding examples; those people we can look at to improve our skills and inspire us. Today, I will be recognizing Mary Edwards Walker, born 1832, American abolitionist, prohibitionist, prisoner of war, and surgeon. Mary Edwards Walker is… Read More »
[December 8, 2017] In 1784, Robert Burns wrote in a poem1 that “Man’s inhumanity to man causes countless thousands to mourn.” His inspiration was based on his own poverty in which he lived. It is poetic, in a sense, that we use his words to describe the horrific genocide perpetrated against the Armenian peoples in the early 20th… Read More »
[October 11, 2017] Fundamental traits of what constitutes a great leader never changes. Those characteristics that stand out as key component of greatness will remain the same as long as people remain humans and just as our wants and desires remain unchanged. One of those important traits that cannot go without mentioning here is generosity; a universal leader… Read More »
[September 26, 2017] There is no denying that all leaders live in a bubble to some extent where accurate and timely information struggles to get to them. A big leadership challenge is whether they are taking effective steps to overcome the disadvantages associated with it. When leaders fail, often spectacularly, it can be often traced back to their… Read More »
[September 25, 2017] I’m writing this after just returning from a three-day campout in a local state park with a Boy Scout troop. It is always easy to be optimistic after spending a few days with the boys and getting to understand how much they know (or don’t know) about leadership. I can honestly conclude that even the… Read More »
[August 18, 2017] It has been more than a year since I added a “characteristic” for senior leaders. How I overlooked this one – an important one at that – is still a mystery. Being consistent as a leader is crucial for a number of reasons that I will address below. In the Deep South back in the… Read More »