[June 16, 2017] Good leadership means letting people make mistakes and not holding it against them. My commander once allowed me to lead a convoy of 13 armored vehicles about 50 miles over rough wilderness terrain without a physical reconnaissance of the route. Predictably, I got lost. Good leadership also means seeing things for yourself. One of several… Read More »
[June 13, 2017] Learn the rules and play them better than anyone else; this is the embodiment of intelligent, powerful leadership. As children we learn quickly that it is best to play by the rules. Being accused of cheating or unfair play is a stinging rebuke for those who fail to do so. It comes as no surprise… Read More »
[June 12, 2017] One of the most important traits of any leader is their ability to set the example for how others should act and what to believe in. People look to leaders for inspiration and as a model for the right kind of behavior. Setting the example has always been the hallmark of leadership traits since the… Read More »
[June 11, 2017] Most people have a pretty good idea what leadership is about; they know it when they see it and know when it is missing or misused. Political leadership, despite what we’ve seen in the news, is not that different than leadership in any other institution. Some experts tell us that political leadership – as distinct… Read More »
[June 10, 2017] An older gentleman I met earlier this year asked me to look at a book of his dated 1944-1946. Upon opening it I was expecting to see journal entries about the war and occupation of Europe; those things that those men wrote who survived the crucible of combat, its exhilaration and its horror. What I… Read More »
[June 9, 2017] My grandmother was fond of telling me to “try new things;” otherwise I “would live to regret my life.” She was right and had put her mind onto something few think about and that is concerning risks as essential for those who successfully lead ourselves to do good things. One powerful trait appears in all… Read More »
[June 6, 2017] When Lieutenant Shawn McFarland began his career as a young officer at Fort Polk, Louisiana, he was a mess; often failed to complete his assignments and tasks given him by his commanding officer. His commander once wrote in an annual evaluation that McFarland was untrustworthy and unrealizable. Like McFarland there are a small number in… Read More »
[May 31, 2017] “Get your act together, boy!” This is how my grandmother would admonish me after I screwed up something important; to get my attention and to put me on the right path to manhood. And it now looks like the Iraqi military is about to get their act together to destroy the remaining elements of ISIS… Read More »
[May 28, 2017] Many of my commanders in the U.S. Army were among the best this nation ever had to offer but it also included a few of the worst. My first company commander was a man with many faults, one of which was that he often chose to ignore the consequences of his own actions. Ignoring consequences… Read More »
[May 27, 2017] If we were able to peer into the mindset of a narcissist, inexperienced manager, or failed leader the one thing we would find in common is their penchant at creating confusion. Yet, it is the epitome of great leaders to thrive on making the best of volatility, uncertainty, chaos, and ambiguity in complex environments. Experienced,… Read More »