[August 17, 2015] One of the most difficult character traits of senior leaders to obtain, and to develop in all leaders for that matter, is the ability to judge character in others. Leaders are looking for specific traits in others that predict successful mission completion or are obstacles to teamwork. Sadly, we often see inexperienced leaders who misjudge… Read More »
[July 22, 2015] Great leadership begins with a grand vision. Simply put, leadership is the ability to turn a vision into something. Having vision means identifying a clear goal for the future and ideally it’s also inspirational. The implication in the vision is that it’s realistic and that efforts to achieve it may mean doing things differently such… Read More »
[June 23, 2015] On this date in 1992, Mafia boss John Gotti, nicknamed the “Teflon Don,” is sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty to commit murder and racketeering. Earlier, he got the nickname after escaping unscathed; he was found not-guilty from several trails during the 1980s.1 That is not exactly what I mean when leaders… Read More »
[May 06, 2015] Our Drill Sergeants in Basic Combat Training took sadistic pleasure in screaming at us raw recruits … at least it seemed that way. After a long march or any similar difficult task they would say to us, “time for a gut check.” In other words, they wanted to know if we had the intestinal fortitude… Read More »
[April 8, 2015] The best piece of simple advice I ever received as a junior military officer was that the reality about leadership is that it’s all about people. Senior leaders know that empathy helps us create and maintain bonds of trust; acting as the lubricant that keeps relationships on track. “You can easily judge the character of… Read More »
[March 11, 2015] One of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted characteristic of a senior leader is forgiveness. Rarely talked about and while practiced by many, unevenly applied. Leaders who practice forgiveness will benefit everyone in their organization and simultaneously retain the best worker talent and improve performance. People make mistakes – some unintentional and some by choice –… Read More »
[February 22, 2015] One of the challenges many organizations have is providing virtual leadership over long-distances, especially among its most senior personnel and staffs. Organizations often have personnel and equipment scattered geographically; sometime across the globe. Senior personnel don’t always have the leadership experience and are not adept at working in complex, changing, and geographically diverse environments. The… Read More »
[February 10, 2015] One of the special advantages senior leaders have is cheerleading for their organization. Yes, being a senior leader also means you must be a cheerleader; someone who aggressively promotes their people, organization, and mission at the appropriate times. This is what great leaders do … and those who do not cheerlead should have their loyalty… Read More »
[January 20, 2015] Most children quickly earn a place in their family by learning to “tell the truth,” usually the result of stern lessons from a parent. This is often the first step to responsible adulthood. It’s no surprise then that when they are adults and occupy leadership positions they are aware of the advantages to maintaining their… Read More »
[January 13, 2015] Leaders fulfill their responsibility by possessing a special readiness to learn. Such learning readiness refers to the likelihood a leader will seek both knowledge and a change in behavior. While there are many factors that influence a senior leader’s readiness to learn, it is incumbent upon that the leader overcome any obstacle and promote advantages… Read More »