[September 24, 2020] I’m of the old school that says experience is the best teacher. And, while that is debatable in some philosophical corners, it nonetheless rings true. Sadly, experience is not transferable; we all must take a given path to see what it may bring. The very best leaders have something in common and that is they… Read More »
[September 12, 2020] Who was John “Black Jack” Pershing? I remember my dad talking about how he met Pershing in Hot Springs, Arkansas, during the 1930s and how impressive and focused the retired Army General was at the time. But John Pershing is, at best, an elusive figure in American history, where the fog of time obscured his… Read More »
[September 8, 2020] In early 2007, I was selected for command of a Brigade. When I was notified, I was in the middle of planning and executing U.S. President George Bush’s troop “surge” in the Iraq War. I was never busier, and yet, I had dropped into my lap one the most important assignments of my career. What… Read More »
[September 7, 2020] You’ve probably been told that Labor Day in the United States is a unique tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of America. And, yes, that is true. But another perspective says that it’s also about hard work and family. We should ask ourselves why. Why is it that… Read More »
[September 6, 2020] There is not a person I know that hasn’t been surprised by something coming at them out of nowhere. One day, you get up and run out the door to work and, while driving along minding your own business, a car sideswipes your new pickup truck. Indeed the car was in your blind spot, and… Read More »
[August 31, 2020] By early 2005, my unit had been in combat in Iraq for nearly a full year.1 One day, with little notice, our commander told us to prepare for a Congressional Delegation visit. At first thought, we were incredulous. What could a group of Congressmen do for us? That was when we learned about the caring… Read More »
[August 30, 2020] At the Battle of Cowpens, January 1781, American Revolutionary General Daniel Morgan fought the British and won. After repeated losses to the British, American forces were demoralized, beaten, and poorly lead. Morgan changed the way Americans fought, and for this, we can learn what traits it takes for a senior commander to win. What were… Read More »
[August 26, 2020] “Mail Call.” The shouted notice by our Administrative Staff Sergeant was time for high spirits. We were getting mail. By the end of 2004, my unit had been in combat for over ten months when a card arrived for me from an Oklahoma Schoolgirl. How she got my name, I’ll never know, but I found… Read More »
[August 25, 2020] A regular theme found in my leadership website is the value of reading, especially the reading of history. Reading is vital for the development of the mind and helping leaders improve their performance. However, what is not generally recognized is that readers must also evaluate each reading as to the validity of the research and… Read More »
[August 24, 2020] Rummaging around with some old books of mine (when I first read about leadership), I kept seeing a common theme. I get time to do that now; more reading, looking out the window at on green trees and blue skies and thinking. What I see is that old leadership principles never seem to die; they… Read More »