[April 29, 2019] My pre-teen years involved working at several small jobs that taught me many things. Among those was the ability to work with others, pick who could be trusted, and learn about the limits of your friends. One summer, a friend of mine and I were going to make lots of money selling lemonade. Ben Carson,… Read More »
[April 27, 2019] What matters most in a leader’s development is not how much information we can cram into his (or her) brain, but whether we can help them develop their character. It should, therefore, come as no surprise, that the main theme of this leadership blog is to help develop that character. Conscientiousness, however, is the greatest… Read More »
[April 26, 2019] What we do as humans, echoes throughout time. While I was a new Lieutenant in the U.S. Army at Fort Benning, Georgia, we learned about the Mi Lai Massacre in Vietnam. The massacre was a stain on our military reputation and the reason why we studied it so closely. Leadership means keeping alive our historical… Read More »
[April 24, 2019] In my Sophomore year in college, I took a Psychology course that required students to read a book titled, I’m Okay, You’re Okay.1 It helped me accept myself. But, I should have rejected the author’s advice and recognized that I was not what I could be. If only I prioritized better, worked harder, and got… Read More »
[April 23, 2019] My wife Nancy was watching a news program a couple of days ago. Being interviewed was a new Congresswoman from New York City; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She was promoting policies that raised the income tax of the “rich” by as much as 90%. In the background, you could hear loud, excited cheering from the audience. My… Read More »
[April 21, 2019] As a senior military Flag Officer, I’ve used investigations as a tool to ferret the truth when other avenues were closed. However, in my experience, investigations are also used unethically to punish leaders or to harass them.1 When this leader tool is used as a weapon, everyone loses. “About all I can say for the… Read More »
[April 18, 2019] While leaders are good at pushing the limits of their ability, they are also fully aware of their own boundaries. History is full of stories where people and nations have gone beyond the point where success is no longer possible. That is why it is a rare quality to truly know your limits. The Korean… Read More »
[April 17, 2019] The 10-man squad of recruits was crawling through mud and under barbed wire while being continuously screamed at by U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Bryant. If the recruit failed to complete the obstacle course within the allotted 20 minutes, he had to start over. Sergeant Bryant was politely telling everyone that his job was to make… Read More »
[April 16, 2019] One of the most powerful lessons in military leadership tells us that the best leaders are those that are visible and accessible. On the battlefield or the assembly line or the boardroom, those leaders who can be seen, heard, and talked to, will always be the most successful. As a Private in the U.S. Army,… Read More »
[April 15, 2019] I was in the Rayburn Building in Washington D.C. this past week visiting members of Congress. The variety of political philosophy, ideology, and backgrounds was surprising to me. What I discovered, however, was that each elected member of Congress that I spoke to were exceptionally likable. “Some people are inherently likable. If you’re not –… Read More »