[September 19, 2019] The fundamentals of leadership are no secret; but they are often difficult to sort out from the chaff and to learn and implement. U.S. Marine GEN Jim Mattis retired a few years ago and became the U.S. Secretary of Defense. In a recent series of speeches and his book1, Gen. Mattis discusses what his early… Read More »
[September 18, 2019] There is common advice that in your life, at work, or play that “all you can do is your best.” I disagree. The advice assumes you know what your best might be for any given situation. The paramount thing for any of us is never to accept doing your best; always push beyond your limits… Read More »
[September 17, 2019] It was in late November and early December 2004 that a U.S. Marine Task Force being called upon to push into Fallujah, Iraq. The 1st U.S. Marine Division’s plan was to crush Iraqi insurgents upon the fortified positions of a U.S. Armored Brigade sitting east of the city; a classic hammer-anvil strategy. “A leader’s attitude… Read More »
[September 16, 2019] Looking at mythological heroes and the stories about those heroes, we find that a common trait; they are physically strong. They slay the dragon that’s been terrorizing villages, kill the shark that was eating tourists at the local resort, and save the city from Godzilla. It’s an old story of humankind dating back into the… Read More »
[September 15, 2019] In the past, I’ve written about the importance of caring for your people (e.g., articles here and here). What this means is that a great leader can reach the souls of others and doing so matters more than any technological advancement, money, or strategy. Win their hearts and you will win the battle. “As an… Read More »
[September 13, 2019] In the hottest part of the Summer of 1983, over 200 U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenants were on a 25-mile forced-march in the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Fort Benning, Georgia. At the 19th mile point, I’d never been so exhausted in my life, when our Battalion Commander drove up beside us in his jeep to say,… Read More »
[September 12, 2019] The fastest and most effective way to progress as a leader is to be in a crucible under fire and have your performance critiqued. Those who lead men and women in our military regularly review their team’s ability to accomplish a mission. During a review, the leader will receive feedback in its brutally honest form… Read More »
[September 11, 2019] Slowly but steadily, there has been a movement in the United States that is turning the anniversary of deadly terror attacks on September 11, 2001, into a day of volunteering and doing good deeds. It’s a way to pay tribute to those who died that day and to those who rushed to help … by… Read More »
[September 10, 2019] Karl Marx knew what he was talking about when he said, “There is a specter haunting Europe, the specter of Communism.” Fortunately for European leaders, they discovered the Ukrainian Holodomor. During the 1932-33 Holodomor, 7-10 million Ukrainians died of starvation in a catastrophe nearly unprecedented in the history of humankind. Surpassed only by the Great… Read More »
[September 9, 2019] We were in the back of a U.S. Air Force C-130 transport plane, flying between Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait and Baghdad International Airport, Iraq. Passengers were a mix of civilians and various branches of the U.S. military. It was the first time I ever heard the phrase, Admiral of the Narrow Seas. In… Read More »