[January 3, 2017] This post is my third in a short series on my personal view of the War in Iraq after a one-year combat tour of duty. While I served three years total, that first year shaped much of my understanding of Iraqis, terrorists, combat troops, contractors, home town folks, reporters, and politicians. As leaders it is… Read More »
[January 2, 2017] Several years ago I wrote an introduction to a book on how women should act around men to ensure they establish a beneficial relationship. One key to successful women in their relationships, according to the author, was to have class in those things they do day-to-day. I selected actress Grace Kelly to use as the… Read More »
[January 1, 2017] A New Year is upon us and one that brings new and more difficult challenges. Leaders in particular will see more complex problems requiring, more than anything else, greater use of their social and intellectual talents to solve. Below I’ve listed some of those challenges that leaders can expect to test them when working at… Read More »
[December 31, 2016] Ending the month of December with a senior leader’s profile is a good way to push into next year’s leadership topics. It is somewhat difficult to get an accurate idea of leadership qualities in modern senior leaders due to a number of factors. However today, I’ll be profiling U.S. Army General Raymond Odierno, who I… Read More »
[December 30, 2016] Once upon a time I had a commanding officer that was unreliable; lazy, indecisive, uncommitted, and on top of that a notorious braggart. He made my life, and those around him, miserable and frustrating. In retrospect, alcohol played a big role but like many other leaders he was not reliable as elemental leadership requires of… Read More »
[December 29, 2016] A senior Flag officer in the U.S. Army with whom I worked for a number of years was in his last assignment and wanted to finish his final command without any big problems. But the predicament he created by trying to please everybody was that many soldiers thought of him as a weak leader and… Read More »
[December 28, 2016] There will be times and places where the most effective leader will do the greatest good by personally being present at a significant time or place and paying one’s respect. Yesterday, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where his nation conducted a surprise attack on December 7, 1941 bringing America into… Read More »
[December 27, 2016] It was a hot summer day at Fort Benning, Georgia when my class was to take an exam on how to survive a chemical attack by a determined enemy. It was rumored to be our school’s most difficult test and that could explain why two Second Lieutenants were cheating on the exam; both were caught… Read More »
[December 26, 2016] A few days ago I wrote about my view of the Iraqis during the early part of the War in Iraq. From my one-year tour of combat duty in Iraq with a U.S. Army Engineer unit, I came into contact with Iraqis, terrorists, combat troops, contractors, home town folks, reporters, and politicians. It is instructive… Read More »
[December 25, 2016] Each Christmas Day I’m reminded of those men and women who serve as the defenders of our nation and its citizens. That is so because they perform their duties on this day, selflessly, so those like my family and me can enjoy safety in following our faith. Merry Christmas to all my readers and especially… Read More »