[June 19, 2014] As I buckled myself into the helicopter’s backseat, I joked with the young Blackhawk pilot that I probably had more hours flying in his US-60 aircraft than he did. We were flying low and fast over the city of Baghdad. That tactic got us to our destination faster and helped avoid anti-aircraft missiles. Most people… Read More »
[June 18, 2014] A common practice in leadership is to spend time learning from the mistakes, errors, and omissions of others. Senior leader mistakes should be studied very closely because of the value it brings to our development. Now comes news that the IRS “lost” emails that stem from allegations of IRS target political enemies. A basic rule… Read More »
[June 18, 2014] In June of 1944 General Eisenhower made the final decision for the invasion of German-occupied France. This was the key event that led to the unraveling of Hitler’s European empire. Eisenhower’s command to go ashore in Normandy France has been called many things; but it cannot be said it was not decisive. It is a… Read More »
[June 17, 2014] Practicing leadership skills is not something we normally think about when it comes to improving our leader talents. Athletes, target shooters, musicians, Army tank crews, etc., all have scheduled practice sessions designed to improve their performance. But, what about leaders, do they practice their trade? Yes, leadership requires practice … however, maybe not in a… Read More »
[June 16, 2014] One of the most humbling events of being a military flag officer is getting the opportunity to talk with some of the most senior leaders of the United States. Several years ago I had the chance to ask questions of the directors/chiefs of many three-letter agencies (CIA, FBI, NSA, NIA, DIA, etc.). What each of… Read More »
[June 15, 2014] The two senior leaders could not be more different. Iraq’s Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki and ISIS’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi are two sides of a very long and often brutal clash within the Muslim faith. It is not surprising then, that Iraq’s senior leadership contrast will overshadow the final confrontation. This will be a conflict… Read More »
[June 14, 2014] The story of Abraham Lincoln has long been told and admired. His humble beginnings and struggles in life, is something that shaped and motivated him. From his birth in a Kentucky log cabin to President of the United States, Lincoln showed us the value of struggle in leadership. It has been a common theme here… Read More »
By guest blogger Sadako Red [see disclaimer] [June 13, 2014] Yeah, I’m a user of a Veterans Administration hospital, one in my hometown. I generally get good service when I go. That’s the good news, now the bad. NEWS FLASH: The VA scandal will continue because nothing is being done that will change the failed management culture; a… Read More »
[June 13, 2014] The United States gave up on Iraq years ago and the Iraq leadership stumbles as a result. Yet there is not a senior leader in the U.S. military who would confidently say Iraq’s future was assured after pulling out our military forces. News comes to us that the ISIS, a militant offshoot of Sunni al-Qaeda,… Read More »
[June 12, 2014] Considered one of the greatest speeches of the 20th Century, U.S. President Ronald Reagan spoke these lines on June 12, 1987 as part of a major speech to the citizens of West Berlin. In the speech, he addressed the Soviet Union’s General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev and told him to sign up for peace and prosperity… Read More »