[May 06, 2015] Our Drill Sergeants in Basic Combat Training took sadistic pleasure in screaming at us raw recruits … at least it seemed that way. After a long march or any similar difficult task they would say to us, “time for a gut check.” In other words, they wanted to know if we had the intestinal fortitude… Read More »
[May 05, 2015] A close friend of mine – intelligent and trustworthy – resigned as a commissioned officer in U.S. Army after being told he would never advance in rank. The reason was simple; he did not promote and was incapable of effective teamwork. It was a sad day for all of us Platoon Leaders (lieutenants in the… Read More »
[May 03, 2015] The famous Vince Lombardi once said that “winners never quit and quitters never win.” While there is hardly a more well-known quote about sports, we find that it’s the development of sportsmanship and teamwork that are the real successes behind any winning game. Yet for children, their development is much more precarious than for us… Read More »
[May 02, 2015] The greatness of Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, is difficult to imagine for those of us who live in a relatively safe, modern world. Charlemagne was both a King and a military leader; roles that we rarely see held simultaneously today. Yet Charlemagne did so and was loved by his people. Born sometime… Read More »
[May 01, 2015] Experienced leaders don’t believe that history repeats itself, but there are certainly many parallels throughout the known past that makes it seem that way. The best leaders educate themselves on history relevant to their circumstances and proactively take precautions to avoid similar mistakes. Today, we see a number of political failures and missteps in America’s… Read More »
[April 29, 2015] Growing up in rural Louisiana, my grandmother often told me to “put your brain in gear” … and she was one smart woman, as grandmothers are known to be. What she was trying to do was to get me to think and to be engaged in what was happening around me; I call it intellectual… Read More »
[April 28, 2015] Some of the more encouraging stories coming out of Nepal are the many ordinary folks working feverishly to rescue those trapped by the damage of the recent Nepal earthquake. Death and destruction are extensive, danger of aftershocks and more threats to life are very real, but people are stepping up to help. Those brave folks… Read More »
[April 27, 2015] Failure to recognize possible unintended consequences from decisions anticipated otherwise, is a failure of leadership. On this date in 1773, the British Parliament passed the Tea Act; designed as an advantage to both the British Empire and the American Colonies. Unexpectedly, the American revolutionary leadership convinced other colonists that the Tea Act was another example… Read More »
[April 26, 2015] When we think of heroes from World War II, we immediately think of the Allied military men who risked their lives and endured great hardships to do something spectacular. Virginia Hall was a civilian working for both the British and American clandestine services; she was known to the Nazi Gestapo as “the woman with a… Read More »
[April 25, 2015] Five of us first-grade boys were chewing gum in class against the teacher’s rules. Our punishment was simple, public humiliation by wearing the gum on our nose (all day) and extra laps around the playground. Did we learn not to chew gum in class? … Yes we did. Fast forward 15 years and I’m wearing… Read More »