When Experts Failed and Leaders Followed

By | February 25, 2021

[February 25, 2021]  By the time I reached my 20th year in the U.S. Army, I had become one of a few experts on large-scale combat and military construction Engineering.  My specialty was Base construction in hostile combat zones.  Yet, on several occasions, my ability to design, fund, construct and maintain large, complex bases failed.  Experts can and… Read More »

Open Comments

By | February 25, 2021

[February 25, 2021]  A default setting on my website theme was set to 30 days for comments. Simply put, you could not place a comment on any article after 30 days.  I removed this default setting so now you can post freely on any of my posts, anytime. Occasionally, I review my website settings and make tweaks to… Read More »

You Gotta See This Guy: Doug TenNapel

By | February 24, 2021

[February 24, 2021]  A month ago, my wife called on me to watch this “new guy” talking on YouTube.  I laughed hysterically, only after two minutes  (a rare behavior, honestly I was).  This guy Doug TenNapel is a conservative who places his political commentary in video format on several social media platforms.  You gotta see this guy! Here… Read More »

Bad Idea, Bad Decision: Disney

By | February 23, 2021

[February 23, 2021]  I’ve seen some dumb decisions in my day that have had dire consequences.  One of those was when an inexperienced Army major decided he would lead a convoy through a hostile area.  This happened during my first combat tour in Iraq.  And, there are more dumb decisions.  Disney just slapped a warning on “The Muppet Show,”… Read More »

Marshall Goldsmith on 20 Bad Habits

By | February 22, 2021

[February 22, 2021]  In his book, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There,” Marshall Goldsmith outlines practical advice on how to be more successful.  Goldsmith is one of the foremost thought leaders on executive coaching; a good place to begin to see how bad habits can hold you back. Today, I’ll focus on just one of Goldsmith’s themes… Read More »

Develop Trusted Agents

By | February 21, 2021

[February 21, 2021]  Develop trusted agents to provide feedback.  An early leadership lesson I learned was to listen closely to a few select people.  Carefully chosen, these folks can provide you with an extraordinary level of information necessary to succeed. I always have people around me that I trust to tell me the brutal truth.  Harsh as it may seem,… Read More »

Rule #1 of Combat

By | February 20, 2021

[February 20, 2021]  “The quick and the dead” is an archaic yet still popular “rule” to describe the wild old West.  Its meaning is exact; either you are fast on the draw, or you are dead (by the other guy with a gun).  Likewise, in combat, there are rules.  Rule #1 of combat is … don’t bullshit yourself.… Read More »

We’re Your Worst Nightmare

By | February 19, 2021

[February 19, 2021]  Fear – absolute fear – is what you want your enemies to experience.  Why?  Because overwhelming fear will be their downfall.  Armies, across time, make every effort to instill fear; it works.  Ordinary people give up, competitors surrender without a fight, and enemies retreat from the battlefield.  Their message … we’re your worst nightmare. The… Read More »

The Doctor of Democracy: RIP

By | February 18, 2021

[February 18, 2021]  Rush Limbaugh, the self-proclaimed “doctor of democracy,” passed away yesterday at 70.  “Rush,” as he is affectionately known to his listening audience, can never be replaced, period.  No one is like him anywhere on the entertainment or political spectrum. Clearly, without Rush, the political landscape over the past three decades would be different.  Rush was… Read More »

Kicking the Can Down the Road

By | February 17, 2021

[February 17, 2021]  One of the best things about being a military veteran is having plenty of experience with bureaucracies and the concept of compromise.  My favorite subject in Grade School was American history.  And, I remember studying how leaders compromise themselves and their principles by kicking the can down the road.  I had a great teacher. Decision-making… Read More »