[May 30, 2017] Looking back over the last two centuries, the world has learned several important lessons regarding warfare and its close association to politics. One of the most fundamental is that appeasement doesn’t work and is deeply counterproductive when used. So it is with North Korea and the record of appeasement of that country going back to… Read More »
[May 20, 2017] Senior leaders are often asked complex, ambiguous questions that easily trip up even the most seasoned veteran of leadership. What leaders learn, usually the hard way from blundering an answer, is that good answers require knowing how to read a question. Whether it be at a news conference, an interview, or fielding ad hoc questions… Read More »
[May 18, 2017] One of the good things about reading a book is that occasionally I stumble upon one (usually accidentally) that reinforces the time-tested basics of leadership. With the weather improving daily and my daily walking for exercise improving, I find myself less drawn to books that require thinking and more to those that entertainment. I consider… Read More »
[May 17, 2017] FBI Director James Comey was recently fired from his job after President Trump decided it was time for him to go. There are few people who would deny that the decision was necessary although it occurred rather abruptly. One of the reasons for the firing, it is alleged, is that Comey called Trump crazy (although… Read More »
[May 15, 2017] Our staff headquarters was going through a Transition of Authority (ToA) whereby an incoming military unit takes over the combat duties from an outgoing unit. When I arrived in July of that year, the violence in Iraq was the highest it had ever been. To complicate my transition into Engineer Staff operations, I had to… Read More »
[May 7, 2017] It comes with being a leader … eventually you’re going find yourself paying for the mistakes of other leaders. New leaders should get used to the idea and present themselves professionally so the least amount of damage is done to them, other leaders, and to their vocation. Practically, the best way to handle being blamed… Read More »
[May 5, 2017] Timely and accurate decisions are the linchpin to any good organization. But making decisions, especially hard decisions, is not always easy or popular; moral courage is required. A general officer and mentor of mine once said that senior leaders often have to choose between two terrible alternatives; it comes with the territory of a leader. … Read More »
By guest blogger Sadako Red [see disclaimer] [May 4, 2017] Ahhhh … identity politics continues to be alive and well in the City of Baltimore – a place I described as “stuck on stupid” just a few months ago in June when city leaders were adopting policies that simultaneously drove up crime rates and effectively dismantled its police… 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 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 »