[September 27, 2016] When we look at military senior leaders it’s common to refer to war as the ultimate crucible where their leadership is determined by who wins on the battlefield. During the Spanish-American War of 1898 (yes, I know, ancient history) most leaders of U.S. forces were incapacitated by disease that, in effect, took them out of… Read More »
[September 26, 2016] War! Any armed conflict is a vicious, cruel affair and is neither fair nor clean, nor simple. Consequently, it’s difficult to report on its impact. Civil wars in particular are brutish and nasty because many fighters are not professionals and they lack good leadership, but also because civilians are more likely to be killed and… Read More »
[September 25, 2016] A few months ago at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., there was a discussion at the most senior levels of the U.S. military on emerging leaders. About a dozen new General/Flag officers were being advised on what would be expected of them in their roles. Much is to be expected of a senior leader but… Read More »
[September 23, 2016] I was an enlisted man for 7 years in the U.S. Army before receiving my officer commission. One of my proudest moments was when I was promoted to the rank of Sergeant (E-5 pay grade). More commonly known as Buck Sergeant, I was fortunate to have plenty of mentors who gave me the basics on… Read More »
[September 21, 2016] Senior leadership is distinguishable from leadership at lower levels in a number of fundamental ways. As “Captain of the Ship” a senior leader is morally bound to steer in seas of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Much space here at theLeaderMaker.com has been given for characteristics that make up that senior leader. I’ve said many… Read More »
[September 18, 2016] I remember as a little boy my grandmother recounting stories of her parents and their memories of the “yellow journalism” of days long ago. Her oft repeated lesson to me – taught to her by her parents – was to never believe anything you read in the newspaper or hear on the radio (later TV). … Read More »
[September 17, 2016] If there is one subject senior leaders lose sleep over, it’s the establishment and clarification of their authority to carry out their organization’s mission. General George Washington struggled with the federal Congress over this very issue and it haunted him during the entire Revolutionary War. It wasn’t until the U.S. Constitution was signed on this… Read More »
[September 16, 2016] It was ten years ago, almost to the day, that was one of the most difficult days I had during combat in Iraq but was also the day of a memorial service for a National Guard Engineer soldier from Iowa killed in action. We held no funeral there; all were in the U.S. hometown of… Read More »
[September 15, 2016] … or both! Cleaning up my attic of old cassette tapes made me pause as the memories of the 1980s came roaring back. For those who remember, the same can be said for that era’s television commercials from Crazy Eddie; “His prices are insa-a-a-a-ane!” Flashback … for a classic example of one of his ads,… Read More »
[September 14, 2016] My graduating class of the U.S. Infantry School in 1983 produced an exceptional group of officers. When 9/11 occurred nearly all of us were colonels and had considerable command experience; fully ready for whatever the national called upon us to do. But the one thing that our schooling failed to prepare us for was the… Read More »