[October 2, 2018] In most armies worldwide there’s a classic story of a Second Lieutenant who was not trusted by his platoon because he was so “green” (inexperienced and untested). Just like this lieutenant, until you earn your spurs in any vocation you will find the road to leadership challenging and frustrating. Earn your spurs is, of course,… Read More »
[September 5, 2018] In my U.S. Army career, I had two commanders who were both smart and dedicated … yet each had a similar weakness. Like every high-level commander, they ran large and complex organizations where they listed important priorities. The problem was these two had too many priorities. “The bottom line is, when people are crystal clear… Read More »
By guest blogger Tom Jager [August 13, 2018] A true leader is an inspiration for others to continue dreaming, learning and improving themselves. The fundamental duty of a leader is to motivate others to work as a team towards the common goal. Leaders are also mentors, inspiring others to become more productive and committed. But no one mentions… Read More »
[August 3, 2018] A fundamental duty of leaders is to find opportunities to provide useful information to others and deliver positive feedback. It is the embodiment of great leadership to teach, coach, and mentor in such a way that the feedback is received as a stimulus to internal motivation. It is no surprise that someone who is able… Read More »
[July 2, 2018] I write often about advice on how to be a successful leader. Much of it is like my maternal grandmother’s advice which was simple … work hard and you will be happy and successful. But, I make the assumption that every reader has the same understanding of what ‘work hard’ means and how it makes… Read More »
[April 17, 2018] I frequently tell the story of how West Point military cadets behave when they are allowed to buy small treats from one of the many vending machines. On top of the machines are coins that accumulated in the change slot and no one has claimed. No cadet dare take a coin for themselves, as this… Read More »
[March 9, 2018] Tim Tebow once told his fans about what helped him in his successful career as a professional football player; he told them that “We have to humble ourselves and the way you do that is by serving other people.” We know, for leaders in a modern world, the path to success is to follow the… Read More »
[January 31, 2018] There are many advantages modern industrial societies provide; some of which have been outlined here in theLeaderMaker.com. There are also downsides. One downside for many of us is that we are very busy people. Leaders are especially busy at work and home and that can cause them to lose sight of the big picture. The… Read More »
[August 25, 2017] In Part 1 of this series, I wrote that each of the military services has a boot camp (called by different names) that has one mission; to successfully turn civilians into military members.1 The methods they use are similar and the preparation one should undertake are, therefore, also similar regardless of which branch of the… Read More »
[August 18, 2017] It has been more than a year since I added a “characteristic” for senior leaders. How I overlooked this one – an important one at that – is still a mystery. Being consistent as a leader is crucial for a number of reasons that I will address below. In the Deep South back in the… Read More »