[September 24, 2018] A few months ago in one of my columns on the Middle East, I asked the question, “What’s happening in Iran?”1 My point, in asking the question, was that while Iranian leaders continue to support worldwide terrorism and the proliferation of WMDs, Iran could easily come into the civilized world by stopping their “unethical and… Read More »
By guest blogger Lilou Hoffman [September 23, 2018] Negotiating skills are both a science and an art. It’s rather like bridging a gap between individuals by finding mutual interests and values. The skilled negotiator helps to find a constructive way to proceed that most individuals couldn’t have found alone. The following three negotiation skills are vital for every… Read More »
[September 22, 2018] The other day I was talking with two recently-retired enlisted soldiers who had each served almost 10 combat tours; in Iraq and Afghanistan. That’s a lot of combat time by any measure. But what caught me by surprise was that they considered themselves just ordinary soldiers. To me, they are the epitome of selfless service.… Read More »
[September 21, 2018] A good friend of mine, a logistics Army Colonel, had a military signature block that read, “The answer is yes, what’s your request?” I found it appropriate that this officer put the needs of soldiers above all else. In 2006, we were preparing for the now famous troop “surge” in Iraq. Construction was fast and… Read More »
By guest blogger Mike Hanski [September 20, 2018] Keynote speaker and educator Stephen Covey once said: “Leadership is a choice, not a position.” In today’s constantly changing world, ruled by Millennials and Gen Z who are self-expressive, tech-savvy, and creative, leaders should eager for constant improvement if they want to develop career and motivate others to follow them.… Read More »
[September 19, 2018] The U.S. military sometimes embodies, not unlike other complex organizations what I will call, a “culture of slow change.” If there is, however, one thing that is quick, predictable, and helpful, it is the fact that our troops themselves are highly responsive. Want a mission accomplished? They are on it quick and decisively. What an… Read More »
[September 18, 2018] U.S. Army General George Patton once told his reconnaissance troops to just “drive down that road until you get blown up.” During World War II, Patton was known as the toughest and most successful fighting general the Allies had and he constantly relied upon reconnaissance to find, fix, and destroy Nazi army formations. “Time spent… Read More »
[September 17, 2018] I’ve been asked on several occasions to re-publish a few of my older articles on the U.S. military as a way to reintroduce the concept of “effectiveness in teams.” Today I’ve done that with an article on battle-hardened troops. Enjoy! [Originally published September 2, 2014] There are few things more confusing in military debate circles… Read More »
[September 16, 2018] Summer is passing quickly and it will not be long before the leaves fall from the trees and we start to experience the cool, dry air of early Autumn. This is a great time of year and gives everyone the chance to re-calibrate our reading habits and desires to learn more about lessons from the… Read More »
[September 15, 2018] A few long-time readers will recognize this title from a similar article from early last year (see link). In it I wrote that great leaders understanding people are at the central theme of leadership. But there is more. Leadership is also influenced heavily by one’s culture. Culture is an accumulation of behavioral practices that both… Read More »