[December 20, 2018] A recurring theme in successful military strategies has always been that war should be in that nation’s interests, quick and decisive, and justified on moral grounds. Now in the history books that the U.S. invades Panama in 1989, it should have been a predictable result of U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s strategically poor decision to hand… Read More »
[December 19, 2018] The teaching of history and its importance to understanding the human condition and as a way to improve our humanity has, unfortunately, been in decline for several decades.1 The lessons we can learn are beneficial and perhaps lost if we do not focus a renewed effort. Today, I’ll highlight the Chios Massacre of 1822 as… Read More »
[December 18, 2018] Have you ever met a person who did something for you but insisted you return an item or service of at least equal value to them? I would venture to say that most people expect to be compensated in some way. With good leaders, however, it’s not about quid pro quo1 but about accomplishing a… Read More »
[December 17, 2018] Ever have one of those days when nothing seems to go right? Well, then hitch-up your truck to redneck leadership and your troubles will just scamper away. Redneck leadership is about knowing when to put your shotgun back on your pickup’s gun rack and walk away. Redneck leadership means a lot and I’ll be exploring… Read More »
[December 16, 2018] Joining my local library and getting one of those scannable electronic tags has provided my wife and I another level of entertainment and learning. As I noted last month, I picked up The Odyssey of Echo Company by Doug Stanton and enjoyed it so much I put it on my Reading List (link here). A… Read More »
[December 15, 2018] Does early bird really get the worm? According to research, that’s true: “People whose performance peaks in the morning are better positioned for career success because they’re more proactive than people who are at their best in the evening.” That’s a secret of many successful people. Before they go to work, they’ve been active and… Read More »
[December 14, 2018] I watched in amazement as a sitting U.S. president attempted to lie craftily. Bill Clinton, charismatic and good-old-boy, was trying hard to justify why he wasn’t lying when he said: “There is nothing going on between us [referring to sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky].” Before a federal grand jury, he famously said, “It depends upon… Read More »
[December 13, 2018] For anyone not living under a rock, you certainly will agree that many folks today are just too sensitive. As I see it, the problem is that leaders are, as well, too sensitive. We are quick to be insulted; believing others have disrespected, snubbed, or neglected us. And this leader trend is worsening compared to… Read More »
[December 12, 2018] Back in 2007, I was putting together a large military construction effort and working closely with a senior Colonel from the Australian Army. One day we were talking about how military construction project secrets so quickly reached the newspapers. In his typical Aussie approach he told me that when the grass is cut, the snakes… Read More »
[December 11, 2018] On this date, December 11, 1917, thirteen Buffalo Soldiers of the 24th U.S. Infantry Regiment were hanged for participation in a Houston, Texas riot, mutiny, and murder spree. There are lessons here for leaders and for also a lesson for those who are now attempting to have these men pardoned on the grounds that their… Read More »