[June 13, 2019] A common failure among leaders is an inability to “see” into the future and thus to take steps to prepare for is arrival. Our daily existence depends upon it also. If we forget to pay our utility bills or fill your car up with gasoline, the effect is inconvenient but not catastrophic. “You were given… Read More »
[June 12, 2019] As a Buck Sergeant in the U.S. Army, I heard many military idioms and often wondered if military officers existed just to confuse sergeants. Since retiring from the army, referring to something like the long pole in the tent has become one of my favorite expressions. The problem is that it has more than one… Read More »
[May 30, 2019] I grew up in the Deep South part of the United States. As a kid, my biggest fear was getting bit by a Water Moccasin snake1 and eaten by an alligator. One of the first scary films (I cannot remember the name) I saw as a kid showed a man falling into a pit of… Read More »
[May 23, 2019] My first U.S. Army company commander told a gaggle of new Second Lieutenant that his first priority was safety. “I don’t want anyone killed during training.” His comments were simple and unambiguous; just like any good leader should be when speaking with subordinates. But he was also way off the mark. Leaders in the U.S.… Read More »
[May 16, 2019] I’ve heard from many folks in various militaries around the world who put in their time and yet never got “the call.” The call is military-speak for being called for combat duty. That’s what we train for, that’s the purpose of our duty, and we expect that we willed be called to defend our nation… Read More »
[May 15, 2019] The phrase “lock and load” has been around a long time. Veterans of military service know it well; whether on a weapon qualification range or preparing for combat, lock and load literally means to chamber a round in your weapon. It also means to be ready for anything. Being ready for whatever comes is what… Read More »
[May 9, 2019] During my 40 years of military service, my Engineer friends and I have been assigned some near-impossible tasks. More often than not in combat, these new tasks have ranged from building new bases in a few weeks to clearing intricate anti-personnel and armor obstacles in a few hours. Usually, we used a quick and dirty… Read More »
[May 6, 2019] Two things came together yesterday that got me to thinking about a post-modern rallying-cry of many young people today. Collective responsibility – individual responsibility for the actions of others – is not new but its application to a range of modern problems is now more noticeable. Earlier in the day, I was listening to a… Read More »
[May 2, 2019] There’s an adage that says you can’t please everybody, but I regularly experience leaders who attempt to do so anyway. I see this all the time. Many psychologists have suggested that this trait might be innate to explain the power it can hold over us. “When you stand alone and sell yourself, you can’t please… Read More »
[May 1, 2019] I’ve always enjoyed working with people who grew up and worked on a farm or ranch where they learned the value of hard work. They learned all about nature and spent long periods outside in the harsh elements, are self-educated and worked with their hands. This is the leader and the cowboy. Contrast these men… Read More »