[October 12, 2013] It is certainly no surprise that we Americans today are not happy with our federal government. Our dissatisfaction has reached a record-breaking low point. Consider how dissatisfied we are in the following sampling of survey results: 18% are satisfied with the way the nation is being governed1 60% say fire every single member of Congress2 … Read More »
[October 8, 2013] Yesterday I was fortunate enough to visit the corporate offices and museum of Hillerich & Bradsby Company who make the Louisville Slugger1 baseball bat in Louisville, Kentucky. For the baseball enthusiasts out there, you can understand the thrill of visiting here. But this is really a story about a family that through determination, hard work,… Read More »
[October 7, 2013] People make assumptions1 on just about every aspect of their life. It is a simple fact of life that we do not know everything and those knowledge gaps are filled by assumptions. Put another way, assumptions are mental shortcuts that save us time and effort since we don’t check out all the information surrounding the… Read More »
[September 30, 2013] Tonight at 12:01 am, there exists a possibility of a government “shutdown”. For clarity, there is no complete shutdown and despite the hype we hear from the media, a complete shutdown has never happened. What do we make of this situation from a leadership position? I just reposted “The Purpose of Divisiveness” from a few… Read More »
[September 30, 2013] For some reason the “Purpose of Divisiveness” post from 26 September does not work. Here it is reposted. Yesterday I was listening to the news on the radio while driving. I don’t remember the specific channel or who was talking but I do remember the news reporter replaying comments from a U.S. Representative (purposefully unnamed). Our… Read More »
[September 29, 2013] Yesterday in a small central Pennsylvania town, there was a community celebration called “Borough Day”. The celebration, an annual event, is designed to show off the community-minded spirit of its people. “The Little Town that Could®” demonstrates that strong leadership works great things regardless of the number of people involved, the resources available (small budget),… Read More »
[September 27, 2013] When I was a young Infantry captain and company commander, I published my command philosophy (i.e., my leadership philosophy) – good thing because it forced me to think about how I would act and how I thought soldiers would perceive me. I had spent time reading books on famous leaders from history, World War II… Read More »
[September 24, 2013] Whenever senior executive leaders are being interviewed for a prominent position, they will be asked questions that fall into distinct categories. Of course, like in any interview, success is predicated upon a high level of preparation. But what makes a senior leader executive truly successful in an interview means that one must understand what makes… Read More »
[September 21, 2013] While myths about senior executive leaders have been published, they are not widely known. The fundamental reason to list these reasons here is twofold. First, it makes the senior leader more aware of perceptions that may impede organizational success. Second, junior leaders, by learning about them, might not be held back by their own misconceptions. … Read More »
[September 19, 2013] Major General Joe Robies, Jr., the president and CEO of USAA, wrote about “getting on plan” in the Fall 2013 USAA insurance magazine. He was giving good advice to USAA members to establish a financial retirement plan and get on it. Of course, we all will agree with MG Robies. We can carry his idea… Read More »