[April 24, 2017] The thumbnail picture gives some hint to the identity of this man Georges Thenault. Americans won’t know the name but will recognize his story as Captain Thenault commander of the Lafayette Escadrille;1 a French organization made up mostly of American fighter pilots during World War I. The few American pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille (Escadrille… Read More »
[April 23, 2017] Many years ago before I was commissioned a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, I was an Infantry Drill Sergeant at Fort Polk, Louisiana. There I learned a valuable lesson while teaching the fundamentals of rifle marksmanship to new soldiers. I would explain to them how to shoot the M161A1 rifle … foremost, seeing it done… Read More »
[April 22, 2017] Believe it or not, one of my engineer Captains actually said that to me … once. If it’s stupid but works, it ain’t stupid, is one of the many Murphy’s Laws of Combat. While there is some morsel of truth to the “law,” I have a totally different take. Leaders should never fall for it.… Read More »
[April 21, 2017] Here at theLeaderMaker.com I like to encourage habits that make leaders effective. In that context, I’ve found whenever a leader asks good questions, good things happen. Indeed, this is a significant fact that cannot be overlooked by those who fill the role of leader. There is, however, some confusion I will clear up. Two key… Read More »
[April 20, 2017] We’ve all been told that railroads in the United States are a technology of the past and will soon go the way of the dinosaur. The classic steel rail and wooden crossbeam, heavy railroad car, and diesel locomotives are bound for the scrapheap … so they say. They are wrong and that is why the… Read More »
[April 19 2017] Leadership is about people; young, old, male, female, your competitors, your family, the boss’s boss, etc. It’s about us all … and that is yet so simple of a concept that it’s often overlooked by leaders. But, the greatest leaders have never forgotten that it is about, and will always be about, all people. If… Read More »
[April 18 2017] The title of this blog is not the most elegant … but it is a quote from one of the best U.S. Army Sergeant Majors in recent times. I was sitting in the audience of soldiers and military families when the guest speaker said these words. I instantly connected to the speaker and idea. Yes,… Read More »
[April 17, 2017] There has been a lot of discussion recently about what message U.S. President Donald Trump intended to send when he authorized a military strike on a Syrian air base. For those familiar with the complexities of great leadership, things are not so simple. I support this authorization because I understand what he means and so… Read More »
[April 16, 2017] Three of us stood in the town of Vicksburg on the high banks of the Mississippi River overlooking where Union ships had run the Confederate shore batteries exactly 150 years before. With me was a South Korean Army general and a U.S. Army general; the latter whose family had lived in Vicksburg for more than… Read More »
[April 15, 2017] We deserve a little levity today. In the United States, this date is when our annual taxes are due. Today is also the anniversary of the RMS Titanic sinking, U.S. President Lincoln dying from an assassin’s bullet, and terrorist bombing the Boston Marathon; among other infamous events. It is also the day that Molly Brown… Read More »