[April 9, 2017] One day many years ago I was visiting Fort Dix, New Jersey; a small U.S. Army base where mostly Reservists and Guardsmen train and located east of Philadelphia across the Delaware River. The commander of the base was a senior Colonel and a rising star in the military. He was eager to tell me that… Read More »
[March 16, 2017] I remember it like it occurred yesterday. My maternal grandmother was a kind yet tough individualist who spoke her mind plainly and often. One day after I was baptized as a young boy in church she said, “Douglas, you’re a good kid, thank you.” It should be no surprise that the best leaders are those… Read More »
[February 25, 2017] Someone once said that a smile is the language of kindness and that is certainly true. Leaders of all stripes, to be successful, smile in order to be both approachable and motivational. This is achieved easily for those willing to take the simple step of smiling. Recent interpretations of ancient writings tell us that a… Read More »
[January 10, 2016] Success comes in many forms and is the result of good habits practiced daily. Leaders give credit where it’s due, accept feedback, are generous, and treat others fairly. But leaders should also look like a leader and that is not so easy. “People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” – John… Read More »
[November 17, 2016] Leaders are trained to be and experienced in being proactive; aggressively pursuing missions, tasks, and goals is expected and good. Inaction is shunned like Joan of Arc who was burned at the stake in 1431. Great leadership means patience and knowing when to employ the precise timing of rare, aggressive action. “Patience is not an… Read More »
[October 17, 2016] There’s an old saying in the U.S. Army that goes something like this … “If you pass a problem by, you just set a new standard … a lower standard.” As a military leader when a problem (or issue, or concern) is overlooked, the troops will notice and see that leadership expectations are not as… Read More »
[October 6, 2016] … and that’s how they get things done! The expectations and hopes of any organization (or society) depends upon the quality and experience of its leaders. Regardless of position – junior manager, mid-grade officer, or senior leader – the commitment of a leader to get their hands dirty is intimately connected to how well that… Read More »
[September 23, 2016] I was an enlisted man for 7 years in the U.S. Army before receiving my officer commission. One of my proudest moments was when I was promoted to the rank of Sergeant (E-5 pay grade). More commonly known as Buck Sergeant, I was fortunate to have plenty of mentors who gave me the basics on… Read More »
[August 26, 2016] Regular readers of this column know that I often advise against insulting people; regardless of who they are or whether they deserve it. I’ve written about it (see links here, here, and here) and mentored other leaders to avoid it. Insults are generally counterproductive; insults are divisive, an immature tactic, and rarely produce positive results… Read More »
[August 25, 2016] As the Staff Sergeant walked in the new Afghanistan combat operations center in the heart of the Division headquarters, he saw plastered everywhere the printed words, ‘Who needs to know?” He was new to combat and so he asked the closest person working on the security staff what it meant. The sergeant was to discover… Read More »