[July 8, 2019] He surprised me. It was the end of our Basic Combat Training, and we were about to graduate as newly minted Privates in the U.S. Army. All of us had survived the crucible of two hard months of training and were friends. One Private from Cajun country in southern Louisiana asked me a surprising question;… Read More »
[July 7, 2019] I’ll soon be headed to Boy Scout camp with a number of 11-year old boys; who will be away from home for their first time. Anyone who has been around young boys (or girls) who are about to spend a week camping without their family, knows that it can be a daunting task. That is… Read More »
[July 6, 2019] In military terminology, the last line of defense is that position where the mission is to hold enemy forces and not allow them to pass. If an enemy breakthrough occurred, the entire organization would risk being destroyed. Leadership is often the last line of defense; there is no one or nothing else that is available… Read More »
[June 30, 2019] A seasoned Vietnam Veteran sergeant advised me long ago to be wary of people who tell you this; That’s on my plate to do. It is just another way to put off work to another time. Sergeant First Class Jack McKinsey took no gruff of anyone. That’s why I liked him and heeded his advice.… Read More »
[June 27, 2019] Regular readers of my blog know that my first Company Commander in the U.S. Army was not a strong leader. Among other things, he gave me his command priorities but rarely judged my performance by them. I came to the realization that it’s not just your boss’s stated priorities but also those that go unstated.… Read More »
[June 26, 2019] I was traveling out in the Western U.S. this past week. In one of the many legs of my trip, I sat beside a Texas High School principal on an American Airlines flight. We talked about college and the challenges of teaching and eventually, I asked her what message she would share with us. She… Read More »
[June 25, 2019] In 2007, I had the pleasure to meet comedian Robin Williams in Al Faw Palace, Baghdad, Iraq. He and I had a warm, captivating conversation. We talked about our families, where we came from, and the interesting people we’ve met. He told me that his life’s mission was to spend more time with people and… Read More »
[June 24, 2019] Leaders make mistakes; it goes with the leadership territory. This means an apology should be forthcoming to show you recognize the error, learned from it, and are moving on. There are also times when not to apologize. Apologizing when you’re wrong shows humility and that you have the ability to learn and change for the… Read More »
[June 18, 2019] It seems like yesterday that I joined the U.S. Army. That was 45 years ago, and my thinking hasn’t changed much since then. My values remain largely unchanged, and my commitment remains rock-solid. What has changed, however, was my devotion to the discipline necessary to succeed and my understanding that only through discipline can we… Read More »
[June 17, 2019] “Find a buddy. You’ve got 10 seconds,” the Drill Sergeant screamed at us as we arrived at Fort Polk, Louisiana for boot camp. Private Thibaut Lemieux, a Cajun from southern Louisiana, stood next to me and we instantly became part of the Army’s mandated buddy system. Thibaut (pronounced t-bow) and I were inseparable throughout the… Read More »