[July 30, 2015] My grandmother turned 63 years of age when President Johnson signed Medicare into law 50 years ago on this date – July 30, 1965. That was a good thing because she relied on it for her healthcare and that’s probably why she lived to just a month shy of 100 years. Most Americans are familiar… Read More »
[July 29, 2015] A little over 43 years ago there was an break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. President Nixon along with his administration were responsible but attempted to cover-up their involvement in the illegal action. As a result, two years later Nixon resigned from his office as U.S.… Read More »
[July 28, 2015] As of late, I’ve been reading a number of books that will not make my recommended reading list. The heat of this summer is neither the cause of my reading selections nor is my new dog … which does take time that is certainly enjoyable. Today’s reading is a book on strategy. Perhaps it could… Read More »
[July 27, 2015] A number of years ago, several friends of mine were being mentored by a senior Flag officer, a two-star Army general, about how to succeed in command. Each was a new brigade commander and recently promoted to the rank of full Colonel. Like many good leaders they had developed a keen sense that people helped… Read More »
[July 26, 2015] Attracting the best young folks to join the military has special challenges; it’s a dangerous job with long hours and below-average pay. Fortunately, military recruiters have been successful and I will share some of their secrets here. Elsewhere, an entire business sector has grown up around helping civilian organizations recruit the best people. I was… Read More »
[July 25, 2015] “Beware of leaders who’ve experience no hardships,” one of my dad’s old friends once advised me as I was entering military service. This Korean War veteran had learned about untested leaders the hard way during the United Nations’ retreat from the Chosin Reservoir in late 1950. Trial by fire is what we sometimes say when… Read More »
[July 24, 2015] The study of the Torah and the Bible sheds light on the city of Gomorrah that received the divine judgment by God when it was consumed by “fire and brimstone” because “their sin is very grievous.”1 Operation Gomorrah, named for the Biblical story, was the World War II Allied codename for the firebombing of Hamburg,… Read More »
[July 23, 2015] Leaders know that personal relationships are more important than ever in today’s complex and uncertain world. That is why it’s crucial that leaders are saying the right thing to those around them and building close relationships in their professions. For those who’ve experienced combat or been through a disaster realize that you have to give… Read More »
[July 22, 2015] Great leadership begins with a grand vision. Simply put, leadership is the ability to turn a vision into something. Having vision means identifying a clear goal for the future and ideally it’s also inspirational. The implication in the vision is that it’s realistic and that efforts to achieve it may mean doing things differently such… Read More »
[July 21, 2015] There is an old Chinese short story about honesty and the rich gifts that telling the truth can bring upon us. Many of us, especially leaders, want success so badly that we can be enticed to lie … or perhaps just shade the truth a little. I’ve seen it done so many times by leaders… Read More »