[March 13, 2015] We are hearing good news about the battles in Iraq that the Islamic State (ISIS) is being pushed back. I am proposing that the Iraqi army advances in Iraq is not all good news because it is being assisted by Iran and without U.S., Arab, or allied support. The unintended consequences of this means that… Read More »
[March 12, 2015] The recent ruckus over Ms Hillary Clinton’s use of private email to conduct United States official business gives us an opportunity to provide a few senior leader thoughts on leader transparency. Ultimately the email controversy is about transparency; whether a leader is playing by the rules and being open, fair, and honest with the American… Read More »
[March 11, 2015] One of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted characteristic of a senior leader is forgiveness. Rarely talked about and while practiced by many, unevenly applied. Leaders who practice forgiveness will benefit everyone in their organization and simultaneously retain the best worker talent and improve performance. People make mistakes – some unintentional and some by choice –… Read More »
[March 10, 2015] Senior leaders rarely need a warning about people giving them gifts. They know that actual or perceived favoritism, bias, or corruption can result. Yet, regardless of how well we understand this and agree there could be problems, invariably senior leaders still get into trouble accepting gifts. During my time as a military flag officer, several… Read More »
[March 09, 2015] The ignorance of history and its importance has always been the direct result of a lack of good leadership. Fortunately, the Selma marches – which were the turning point in the 1960s U.S. Civil Rights Movement – have lately been given a much needed airing in the media. While the first march, known as “Bloody… Read More »
[March 08, 2015] During my three years in Iraq as a U.S. Army engineer, I was exposed almost daily to KBR personnel who provided engineering and logistical support to the U.S. military. Without the capability provided by this firm, the military could not have operated at the level that U.S. and Coalition did to attack insurgent and terrorist… Read More »
[March 07, 2015] There is no doubt that teaching and mentoring young leaders to develop their skills is critical to their future success. However, there comes a time where it is often better to allow them to experience failure. Sometimes, helping leaders by not helping them is the better alternative. A fine line exists between allowing a leader… Read More »
[March 06, 2015] Ask any college student whether they have ever heard of the Dred Scott decision by the U.S. Supreme Court and you will likely only get a blank stare. Ignorance of American history is common but the affect of this decision goes far beyond Dred Scott as a slave. On March 06, 1857 the court made… Read More »
[March 05, 2015] A few days ago it was discovered that the past U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used a private email address to conduct official business. Many accused her of purposefully shielding her communications from review and avoiding public access laws. Email and texting are valuable leadership tools that if not used properly may cause serious… Read More »
[March 04, 2015] Ever witness your boss yell at people in a fit of anger? I have … and anyone with a boss likely has a story to tell about it. I believe it can be argued that leaders, if taken as a whole, are less likely to show anger in the workplace today than ever before. That… Read More »