[April 23, 2021] With recent comments by U.S. President Joe Biden about the trial of police officer Derek Chauvin, undue command influence has made a comeback as a topic of senior leader conversations. Leaders exert influence; that is what they do. But when leaders bias an otherwise independent agency or process, things can go bad quickly. Leadership is… Read More »
[April 22, 2021] Like so many Americans, I learned about the righteousness of the Allied fight against Hitler’s and Mussolini’s fascism and Japan’s imperialism during World War II. Yet, there was plenty of unfinished business of the war that would plague the world for decades – a new book by Sean McMeekin challenge’s that view. In his book,… Read More »
[April 21, 2021] Just this past weekend, our local Boy Scout troop had a “day camp” where we spent time having fun and learning valuable skills. These skills are the very type needed to succeed as a responsible young man. Speaking with the boys, I learned something about their weekend I would like to share. Songs are a… Read More »
[April 20, 2021] Philosophers and great sages of times past have asked the same question and have found their answers imperfect. “Why is it that men throughout history chose to die in battle with their friends rather than flee on their own and survive?” The answer? Not for glory but for brotherhood. “The only thing that makes battle… Read More »
[April 19, 2021] We’re all guilty of doing it, rushing through to a major decision. Doing so is shortsighted, and it can affect us most regrettably. In one of the Indiana Jones films, a bad guy hopes to obtain immortality by drinking from a golden, jewel-encrusted cup. He dies. The guardian of the cup says he chose …… Read More »
[April 18, 2021] My maternal grandmother was fond of saying that we are placed here on this earth to help others. She was a Christian, a mother of four children, and strong-willed. We called her Bigmama, and she was a leader with an apron. “I won’t tell you how to be a good boy. I’m telling you to… Read More »
[April 16, 2021] An article I wrote last month on the rules of a gunfight was popular, especially among younger readers of my leadership blog. So, I decided to follow up. Here are five MORE rules of a gunfight with comments. Most of us will go through our entire lives without having to fire a shot. That means… Read More »
[April 15, 2021] We all make mistakes, and I have certainly made enough myself. One stands out in my preparation for a professional career. Whether it was in college studying engineering or as a young lieutenant in the Army, I underestimated the intellectual discipline needed to achieve great things. Is the lack of intellectual discipline simply laziness? I… Read More »
[April 14, 2021] I was asked a couple of years ago to take a look at a local college to understand why their enrollment was falling. This request was unusual, as I have little experience in higher education compared to others in the field. The first thing I did was to ask for their “strategic plan” and turned… Read More »
[April 12, 2021] Leadership is the ability to get people to do things they would not ordinarily do. Great leadership is getting them to do it because they want to. Leadership is not resource management, it’s not team-building events where everyone gets a trophy, and it’s not being the boss who sits back in a leather chair tossing… Read More »