[August 9, 2019] Today is Friday, so I thought that I might deviate a little from my traditional articles on leadership and provide a few humorous points about cat ownership and how they can provide some leadership lessons.1 Yes, it’s true, you can learn from a cat. I readily admit that I don’t own a cat, but my… Read More »
[August 8, 2019] Upon entering First Grade, my buddies and I became eligible to join the town’s only Little League Baseball Team. We loved the sport like true fans love any great baseball team. But it was our first game as new-fangled team players. Yet, we were taught several leader lessons that followed us the rest of the… Read More »
[August 7, 2019] Several readers wrote to me and asked if I would give some leadership points on the recent mass shootings.1 This article is designed to provide some of my thinking but with some input by others. These twin tragedies do allow leaders to show their “stuff” by doing those things within their authority to make a… Read More »
[August 6, 2019] For several years, my interest in the fundamental nature of leadership has only strengthened and reinforced by reading the 2011 book Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow.1 What stood out for me was the discussion of Benedict Arnold and his betrayal of the United States when he joined the British cause in the American Revolution.… Read More »
[August 5, 2019] Sergeant José Hernandez, part of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Division, yelled to his teammates that he was about to blow up a large cache of 155mm artillery rounds found hidden by Iraqi insurgents. It was early August 2003, and the main ground war was over, but the fighting has just begun. Fire in the Hole,… Read More »
[August 3, 2019] Several of my peers, U.S. Infantry Commanders, were sitting in a Fort Benning, Georgia lecture hall to hear secret information on recent Soviet main battle tank improvements. The speaker, a full Colonel of Intelligence, was over 45 minutes late and when he showed, he fumbled his notes and joked about the traffic in our sleepy… Read More »
[August 2, 2019] Junior leaders quickly learn valuable lessons when put to the test. One of the first things they learn is to be ready when called upon; Boy Scouts call this “being prepared.” I learned it at 12 years of age when I got a job milking cows at a neighbor’s house, and I wasn’t ready. We… Read More »
[July 31, 2019] This is my fourth (and possibly last) article on Scout Camp leadership lessons (see the other three here, here, and here). In my last article, I wrote about “youth” leadership challenges, and today, as promised, I highlight some of the key lessons of their adult leaders. One of the reasons which I did NOT cite… Read More »
[July 30, 2019] Early 19th century French philosopher Auguste Comte once wrote that the secret to life is to “know yourself to improve yourself.” This line of thinking is an ancient and brilliant one too. What it means is that to be a better person, leader, family member, employee, or friend, one must first recognize that we are… Read More »
[July 28, 2019] Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) is an American sports-racing comedy starring Will Ferrell. Competition in sports racing is fierce, as it is in most human endeavors.1 The title of this article is a quote from the film by Ferrell’s lead character, Ricky Bobby. The quote tells us something important. Shortly after I… Read More »