[May 12, 2017] This may seem rather obvious to most of us but getting a jump start on leader tasks is simply good, practical advice. Overlooked advice, I might add, is when leaders fail to take the time and effort to prepare themselves in advance when they have the chance to do so. Timely preparation gives the leader… Read More »
[May 11, 2017] You’ve been there! Your boss wants something done right away and a coworker is right there to “help” you … putting obstacles in your way at every step. Good leaders, it should be emphasized, thrive on obstacles in their path because they have the foresight and confidence to overcome them. In the Spring of 2004,… Read More »
[May 10, 2017] The day was August 29, 1974, the temperature over 100 degrees, and the ants were all over us … but we never forgot our lesson that day. Fort Polk, Louisiana is known for its biting critters and tough Drill Sergeants and on this Thursday afternoon we were low crawling our way to “destroy” a simulated… Read More »
[May 9, 2017] Occasionally I run across a book, typically out of print, which gives a unique view on the thinking of a leader whose experiences during a historic time, providing me with insight into how a senior leader thinks. The Wartime Journals of Charles A. Lindbergh (1970) is just such a book. In it we can see… Read More »
[May 8, 2017] Those of us not adults on May 8, 1945 have no idea the rejoicing that took place on this date 72 years ago. Victory in Europe was achieved at enormous cost in lives; so much given the price paid is simply beyond human imagination. Yet when Nazi Germany unconditionally surrendered, and later Imperial Japan, the… Read More »
[May 7, 2017] It comes with being a leader … eventually you’re going find yourself paying for the mistakes of other leaders. New leaders should get used to the idea and present themselves professionally so the least amount of damage is done to them, other leaders, and to their vocation. Practically, the best way to handle being blamed… Read More »
[May 5, 2017] Timely and accurate decisions are the linchpin to any good organization. But making decisions, especially hard decisions, is not always easy or popular; moral courage is required. A general officer and mentor of mine once said that senior leaders often have to choose between two terrible alternatives; it comes with the territory of a leader. … Read More »
[May 2, 2017] Leadership is difficult – senior leadership is very difficult – but our ability to handle those indomitable challenges that comes as a part of leadership is a measure of our strength of character. The University of California at Berkeley is both an organization that today faces great challenges and yet has historically been successful by… Read More »
[May 1, 2017] Army Vet writes today about how WUSSIES are joining the U.S. Army in overwhelming numbers and what’s it doing to reduce military readiness My best buddy called me earlier this week to complain – no, yell profanities – about so many ‘wussies’ joining the United States Army; pushing the limit of our basic training resources… Read More »
[April 30, 2017] Winston Churchill once said that “the price of greatness is responsibility.” Of course it is. Not only do great leaders accept responsibility, they actively seek it out and are nourished by the challenges that a position of accountability and dependability brings. Leadership also means possessing the skills to fix specific responsibilities on others. Note that… Read More »