[January 13, 2017] I was a newbie to the U.S. Army back in the mid-1970s when I joined as a Private. On my first day in the army, my knowledge of military culture was about to be improved when I failed to salute an officer. Failure to render a proper salute is, of course, a big deal and… Read More »
[January 12, 2017] The external pressures on U.S. police forces to fold in the face of racial controversies are enormous. We are witnessing that if race is a factor in any arrest, the police officers are forced to defend themselves from racist charges. That is why I bring to your attention, the City of Pittsburgh Acting Police Chief… Read More »
[January 11, 2017] Pashtunwali … if you’re reading this, then you’ve likely never heard this word spoken aloud. The meaning, of course, will elude you but most importantly you will never understand its full meaning as intended. You cannot understand fully the code of ethics of Pashtunwali unless you’ve personally lived it from childhood. No amount of study… Read More »
[January 10, 2016] Success comes in many forms and is the result of good habits practiced daily. Leaders give credit where it’s due, accept feedback, are generous, and treat others fairly. But leaders should also look like a leader and that is not so easy. “People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” – John… Read More »
[January 9, 2017] Turner Classic Movies is running a number of classics this week and one of my favorite films is the 1967 movie classic In the Heat of the Night. The movie is about a black police detective (Virgil Tibbs, played by Sidney Poitier) involved in a murder investigation in a small racist town in Mississippi. The… Read More »
[January 8, 2017] In 1980, I began my graduate work thinking how lucky I was that I could expand my thinking on the “philosophies of life” while pursuing an advanced academic degree. It certainly didn’t work out that way. But I’m thankful for the time I had with the father of one of my associates. Talks with her… Read More »
[January 7, 2017] “My dog Roger ate my homework!” So was the excuse my son used to justify why he couldn’t produce his teacher-assigned homework during his first week in Junior High School. I probably used the same excuse as a young boy, so I was on to him fast and didn’t buy it. He spent time at… Read More »
[January 6, 2017] There comes a time when new leadership arrives and good leaders make sure that any leader transition is as effective and efficient as possible. When U.S. President George Washington turned over the leadership of American to John Adams, Washington established a precedent whereby he ensured not only that it would be peaceful but that Adams… Read More »
[January 5, 2017] Yes! It’s that time of year again to make resolutions for the New Year. “New Year’s resolutions are for children, peacocks, and dishonest politicians.” – my Grandmother (as we called her, Bigmama) Resolutions are, of course, a tradition where we acknowledge we can do better, put them on a short list, and post it perhaps… Read More »
[January 4, 2017] A friend of mine, a newly promoted U.S. Army Major at the time, was assigned on a normal rotation from Company Command to a Personnel Administration position. As an Infantryman, the assignment was not good for his career but more importantly, as he was to discover, the people were unprofessional at his new location. Yet,… Read More »