[June 25, 2016] By now everyone has heard of the vote by British citizens to leave the European Union, Brexit, and have listened to pundits about what it means for the future of Britain. While no one really knows what exactly the future will bring, one thing we do know is that it will create challenges and opportunities alike. … Read More »
[June 23, 2016] Upon arriving in Baghdad, Iraq in early 2004 with a small team of military engineers I was assigned two additional engineer Captains who were being held over for Courts Martial. Both would be found guilty, stripped of their rank, and discharged from the U.S. Army. They had failed to heed an important military principle: command… Read More »
[June 21, 2016] During one of my combat tours in the Middle East there was a U.S. Army junior-grade officer that was a poor performer by most measures. No one wanted him working for them because the time investment was so great to ensure he did his job. Our Chief of Staff took him in and shortly the… Read More »
[June 20, 2016] If it weren’t for the movie 55 Days at Peking, most Westerners would know little about an important event in China that had a worldwide impact that resonates soundly today.1 The Boxer Rebellion was an outgrowth of colonial powers interfering with Chinese society resulting in China adopting Communism. This is why the study of history… Read More »
[June 18, 2016] As a very junior officer I had a grizzled old Platoon Sergeant working for me. I was more than fortunate to have him on my team and all the young soldiers learned a great deal from his experiences. One day he caught me complaining about the mess hall food – like all soldiers do –… Read More »
[June 17, 2016] One popular theory in the study of psychology tells us that humans will lie, cheat, and steal if given the opportunity. While critics of the theory note the theory’s pessimistic view of the human mind, it nevertheless has some truth in it. The Watergate scandal was one of those times when failed leadership, mixed with… Read More »
[June 16, 2016] In one of my last assignments as a senior Flag officer in the U.S. military, I had the unfortunate experience to be involved with a number of senior Flags who ignored serious Army issues. It was common knowledge that those officers believed that either nothing could be done or the problems were too complex for… Read More »
[June 14, 2016] Yesterday it was proposed that the world is serious about terrorism yet no country has taken decisive steps to really undermine the effectiveness of terror. Yes … terrorism works and is very effective. However, the lack of any coherent strategy to defeat the current wave of Islamic extremism is the primary reason used to justify… Read More »
[June 13, 2016] Yesterday morning a Muslim extremist opened fire inside a Florida gay club killing at least 50 people and injuring many more. Across much of the Western world, Islamic terrorism has steadily grown to a point that governments are now on notice to “do something.” That leads us to a crucial leadership question; are we serious… Read More »
[June 10, 2016] In the study of leadership and in an attempt to find the keys to success many look to elements of the best leaders; characteristics, behaviors, backgrounds, attitudes, etc. Yet, leadership is not only a complex concept but we all have our own ideas about what it is. One idea that has been bounced around is… Read More »