[March 3, 2019] The 3 Cs of danger for leaders are conformism, corruption, and coercion. I first learned about these from Sergeant Darryl Johnson, Vietnam Vet, and my first team leader. When we met, it was just after 2 am on a cold December morning in West Germany; arriving at his barracks after riding in the back of… Read More »
[March 2, 2019] One day upon discovering a cache of 1st Grade papers my mom had saved, I looked upon several marked papers with poor grades. My wife, who I had been telling that I never got good grades in school, saw them and remarked how amazed she was at my ‘terrible performance.’ The reason was that procrastination… Read More »
[March 1, 2019] You’ve got to admire a guy who made fried chicken the core business of a fast-food restaurant. Colonel Harland Sanders rose from humble beginnings to a multi-millionaire in the tough-as-nails restaurant enterprise. There is a lesson for everyone; if you want to be successful … pay close attention to why and how successful people get… Read More »
[February 28, 2019] Actor Steve Martin is one of my favorite comedians. Back in 1979, he starred in a slapstick comedy called The Jerk. It’s about an idiotic man who struggles to make it through life on his own. Definitely non-politically correct today, it’s the type of absurdist entertainment Americans loved so much. Watch the trailer here for… Read More »
[February 27, 2019] A few years ago, I attended a dinner to honor a good friend of mine who had just retired as our city coroner. As I made my way inside the restaurant to speak with as many folks as possible, I stopped to chat with our State’s U.S. Senator. As one of several politicians there, I… Read More »
[February 26, 2019] Many years ago I learned a valuable lesson as a Buck Sergeant in the U.S. Army. I was calling indirect fire onto a simulated target about 400 meters from our mortar gun crews when three artillery forward-observers arrived. They told me not to worry but to note their big guns would be hitting the same… Read More »
[February 25, 2019] These words are by the legendary Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu; written more than two millennia ago. Courage is an attribute that is highly prized; and it matters not from what culture we observe. To study the idea of courage is to gain a better understanding of its nature, its benefits, and why it exists. “From… Read More »
[February 24, 2019] A good news story. As most of you know, I volunteer to assist a Boy Scout Troop where I live. While winter camping out a week ago, I witnessed several older scouts help a new scout who was doing poorly at coping with the cold weather.1 The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is… Read More »
[February 21, 2019] “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” So began a commencement speech by U.S. Navy Admiral William McRaven to graduates at the University of Texas (see outtake at link here). This is, of course, an analogy; one that helps us to remember the real message which is to get… Read More »
[February 20, 2019] “Get that wax outta your ears!” My mother was fond of giving me advice that my other siblings seemed to never get. She would say, “You hear me but you don’t HEAR me.” She was telling me that to be a good son, I had to listen to understand; not just listen to her words.… Read More »