[November 7, 2016] Senior leaders are judged on their effectiveness. One of the resources to ensure a leader can do their job is a good executive staff and skillful advisors; the makeup of which is crucial to leader success. But when staffs and advisors are composed of yes-men, the leader will be isolated from reality and a distorted… Read More »
[November 6, 2016] I’ve said in the past that when leaders speak and take action, it’s imperative that it be done in a clear, concise, and vigorous manner. Good leaders leave no room for misunderstandings or for distortions. Reality is, however, different. Leaders will occasionally send unintended messages regardless of how careful or precise they may be. “It… Read More »
[October 30, 2016] In Part 1 of this two-part series on T.E. Lawrence, I wrote about how he recommends fighting alongside Arab troops. But what Lawrence does best is give us his thinking on how to be successful when working with another culture so different from his own British origins. Lawrence gives a good view of this thoughts… Read More »
[October 29, 2016] On occasion I present a leader who is well known through their actions or their writings. My intent is to get into the mind of that person so that those of us who study leadership can better understand the thinking of those who were successful, and even exceptional, in carrying out their leadership duties. Today,… Read More »
[October 27, 2016] I grew up in the Deep South, rural Louisiana, where we had strict rules about how children were to behave. One hard-and-fast rule in my family was that my brother and I got to watch only one “war show” per week and the one we chose was the television series called Combat! The show was… Read More »
[October 16, 2016] The colder weather is certainly here in New York City with lows in the 40s and highs in the 60s. I’m glad it’s here because the Fall weather and the turning of the leaves to bright autumn colors is a distraction from the hype of the presidential elections … and it gives me motivation to… Read More »
[October 12, 2016] A number of years ago I had the opportunity to meet with and attend a talk by General Norman Schwarzkopf; the topic was on his philosophy of leadership. What I didn’t know at the time was that, like any good leader, he had no set definition of leadership. What he does make very clear is… Read More »
[October 9, 2016] Personal study and reflection is a crucial part of the growth of a professional. Each one of us work through our days with busy schedules but finding time to read and think is an ongoing challenge. In the military we are taught that to train our bodies, but like our bodies we must also train… Read More »
[September 30, 2016] One of the greatest military strategists and philosophers on war, Sun Tzu, wrote that “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” 1 As a strategist he recognized that by positioning military forces in such a way that the enemy knew that defeat was certain, he would surrender. One of the… Read More »
[September 25, 2016] A few months ago at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., there was a discussion at the most senior levels of the U.S. military on emerging leaders. About a dozen new General/Flag officers were being advised on what would be expected of them in their roles. Much is to be expected of a senior leader but… Read More »