[May 24, 2020] An Army Colonel once told me that his path to success had a lot to do with him stealing good ideas from others. Initially, I was shocked. But I realized that we all steal ideas all the time; we call this learning. We take the ideas of others, make them our own, and integrate them… Read More »
[May 23, 2020] Over the next few months, I will be dedicating space in my blog to discuss the leadership characteristics of George C. Marshall. After George Washington, Marshall is considered the “most respected soldier in American history.”1 Yet, he never commanded troops in battle, the customary path to greatness for a military leader. So what was it… Read More »
[May 22, 2020] There are times in our lives when we are trying something new and innovative that the old methods simply don’t work. In the military, when we are on the attack, one method of flushing out the enemy to force him into unexpected actions is reconnaissance by fire. Such a risky technique is what we’ve all… Read More »
[May 21, 2020] Long ago, I lost count of the number of mid and senior grade Army officers and Sergeants that I counseled because they did not get promoted as expected. The reasons can be complicated but the more common reasons I will list here. Yet, while there are differences across organizations, most are the same. We all… Read More »
[May 19, 2020] A few days ago, I was asked by a contributor to my website to write an article on military humility. Humility, as a military leadership trait, has been in the news for only about a year.1,2 Even the U.S. military has had to eventually recognize that abuse of authority by a few senior officers is… Read More »
[May 18, 2020] One of my Fort Benning Basic Infantry teammates was notorious for his lack of body cleanliness. When you live side-by-side with someone, you get to see and smell their good and bad side. We told Christopher to keep his clothing, gear, and room clean. His poor performance in school was a reflection of a messy… Read More »
[May 17, 2020] The seriousness of the current COVID-19 pandemic cannot be overlooked. However, there is a small but building counter-argument that the lockdowns established and enforced by state and local governments may have been an overreach. Today, I’ll be listing a few observations on the pandemic that are trending from medical, political, and legal organizations. “The most… Read More »
[May 16, 2020] “Read my lips; no new taxes.” In 1988, then-presidential candidate George H.W. Bush made a simple, clear promise that he would not raise taxes on the American people if elected. Later, he failed to live up to his promise. His political opponents repeatedly questioned his trustworthiness, and he lost re-election. When leaders make a promise,… Read More »
[May 15, 2020] The first time I heard of Jersey Mike’s sub shop was while attending a New York Yankee’s baseball game in their stadium in the Bronx. What I didn’t know was that their subs are enormously popular in New Jersey and New York. Since their founding in 1956, the owner has expanded his sub-franchise into a… Read More »
[May 13, 2020] Watching the news on television and reading local newspapers, I have become saturated with health professionals, politicians, and pundits that are encouraging fear. It matters not where I go for information or about what is happening anywhere in the world; there is a steady drumbeat of dire predictions that the world is about to come… Read More »