[October 10, 2020] Last night at our weekly Boy Scout meeting, the boys held an election to determine who would be their next Senior Patrol Leader. The Scoutmaster, an experienced and fine gentleman, explained how the Scout election process worked and how to judge the candidates properly. He made several important points. First, among his points was that… Read More »
[October 9, 2020] A not uncommon theme I’ve hammered on a bit too much – some say not enough – here in these leadership pages is the absolute importance of telling the truth and having the courage to accept it.1 Despite its overwhelming importance, we are still driven to lie, cheat, steal, and dodge the truth. To do… Read More »
[October 8, 2020] Two days ago, I wrote about common leader mistakes and listed lying to yourself at the top. Why I did so is simple; when we lie to ourselves, we put ourselves on a path to ruin and destruction. To lie to others is easy; to lie to ourselves is even easier. Jerry, an acquaintance of… Read More »
[October 7, 2020] Occasionally, I scour the Internet for writers who give suggestions about essential reads on leadership. I’ve found them to be helpful most of the time, a few not so much. Generally, however, their recommendations are worthwhile for junior leaders or those looking for a particular perspective. I’m not yet convinced we always get the best… Read More »
[October 6, 2020] To paraphrase the witty French historian and philosopher Voltaire, he once said that “We are all full of weaknesses and errors … that is the first law of nature.” I agree. And, the sooner each leader faces their weaknesses, the sooner they can begin the long journey to greater leadership and helping their family, friends,… Read More »
[October 5, 2020] This past sunny Saturday afternoon, I drove to a small radio station about 30 minutes from my home. Radio talk-show host Joe Griffies invited me to discuss veterans, current events, and to honor some of our heroes. Joe has a show called Welcome Home Veterans (see his Facebook page here).1 His life is dedicated to… Read More »
[October 3, 2020] If there is one thing I had pounded into us as Privates in the U.S. Army, it was that words matter, and they matter a great deal. But, growing up and living in the civilian world, I learned just the opposite; that words were not just words. The old saying that “sticks and stones…” is… Read More »
[September 30, 2020] The concept of the fog of war was put forward by a Prussian fellow by the name of Carl von Clausewitz with his posthumously published book, Vom Kriege (1832).1 I have a copy of the English version, On War (1833), sitting on my bookshelf. It is one of the few books I’ve read twice, cover… Read More »
[September 28, 2020] One of the better things about the military is that it gives opportunities to learn from good and bad leadership. I’ve witnessed some deplorable decisions by leaders at all levels, one of which was by a two-star General. His command headquarters was rife with insubordinate civilians who regularly disobeyed orders and failed to show up… Read More »
[September 27, 2020] U.S. Army General Order #1 reads, “I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved.” The military recognizes that a leader’s mission is most at risk of failure when that soldier or leader is not present. One of the most valuable lessons from World War I… Read More »