[July 2, 2018] I write often about advice on how to be a successful leader. Much of it is like my maternal grandmother’s advice which was simple … work hard and you will be happy and successful. But, I make the assumption that every reader has the same understanding of what ‘work hard’ means and how it makes… Read More »
[July 1, 2018] As a teenager, I had a number of odd jobs that paid little, low prestige, and often came with risk of harm. One such job was selling fireworks; much like we see as the 4th of July celebration approaches. These jobs taught me about leadership in ways you might not expect. Learning is often done… Read More »
[June 29, 2018] Pictured here is a U.S. Army Sergeant First Class with what we call a Green Tab on the epaulets of his uniform.1 The Green Tab signifies that the soldier is in a leadership position and, as such, commands a sizable amount of respect for the responsibilities he currently holds. In the U.S. Army, there are… Read More »
[June 28, 2018] The best way to learn a lesson is by a) observing others making mistakes and then b) taking it to heart.1 In the news just a few days ago, a restaurant owner at the Red Hen in Lexington, Virginia refused service to the U.S. White House press secretary and her family. Other commercial enterprises, like… Read More »
[June 27, 2018] Tell me the story of the foot soldier and I will tell you the story of all wars.1 I like this quote from an old war movie and it has been a favorite of mine since I watched it for the first time more than 40 years ago. From the time we were little boys,… Read More »
[June 26, 2018] I’m a big advocate for learning through sports. Team sports activities are one of the few times any of us get to learn leadership by play.1 It’s when players learn how to better cooperate and communicate with their teammates, coaches, and fans. The games we play, at any age, are valuable to us physically, emotionally,… Read More »
[June 25, 2018] A friend wrote me on Facebook yesterday and asked about our time in the military and why we were so effective at our jobs but not always very efficient at what we were doing. Leader effectiveness is not (I repeat not) always about efficiency. These concepts are often conflated with one another. It is also… Read More »
[June 22, 2018] There’s a common saying in among U.S. Army Rangers and other highly-trained soldiers that tells us a lot about their outlook on life. It goes something like this, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”1 They tell us that adversity reveals character in soldiers; that the best of them will do everything in… Read More »
[June 21, 2018] We hear about it all the time and read it in every publication ever written about leadership … we are told that leaders must have a clear vision and be capable of communicating it. How leaders create a vision is, however, rarely discussed. I’ll make a case on how any leader, at any level, can… Read More »
[June 20, 2018] Occasionally we hear about crude leaders who are unsophisticated in what they say in front of people they lead. Crudeness is, of course, in the eye of the beholder but there is sufficient information to believe that many leaders are crude by exceeding social norms and are actually more successful in communicating their message. The… Read More »