[April 22, 2015] I’ve often been asked a basic question on leadership, “What is the most important leadership characteristic?” Of course there is no easy answer for the simple reason that no single characteristic can encompass all the necessary traits to make a great and successful leader. Regrettably, I was never able to give a response that I… Read More »
[April 12, 2015] While riding on the Q Train in New York City the other day, I couldn’t help but overhear an argument between two young men about who would be best for the next U.S. president. The upcoming election will offer us students of leadership an opportunity to study how to measure leadership in our leaders –… Read More »
[April 11, 2015] On the eve of combat in 2003 to take the country of Iraq from an evil dictator, allied troops were reminded of the values we placed in honorable service. While there was no doubt we would win the war by force, we also knew that the upcoming combat would be dirty, nasty, and deadly. We… Read More »
[March 26, 2015] If one questions senior leaders about how they learned their most valuable lessons in leadership, their answers may surprise you. The most effective lessons are not from good coaching, mentorship, or teaching but comes about from the mistakes made by other senior executives; even a university leader. Such is the case at Cornell University, Ithaca… Read More »
[March 24, 2015] The second time I ever saw a show in a movie theater was The Great Escape starring Steve McQueen and many other well-known actors. Like many others of my pre-teenage years, it inspired me to be like those brave men. The Great Escape was more than a movie or an event; it helped boost morale… Read More »
[February 27, 2015] Reading books in the winter months is much easier than when the warmth of sunshine is a distraction. But reading a book electronically is not and will never be the same for me. I don’t have a Kindle reader but I do have the Kindle App for my iPad and use it regularly for those… Read More »
[February 13, 2015] War! It has been said that “war solves nothing.” Yet this is so parenthetically untrue that its longevity still amazes most of us. War is a violent, brutish, and chaotic affair; and of course not without extraordinary controversy. Such is the case of the World War II firebombing of the city of Dresden, Germany beginning… Read More »
[February 04, 2015] The recent outbreak in measles in the United States has ignited a political debate on whether the government should require all children to be vaccinated against the virus. On the face of it, the answer would seem simple. Of course, nothing is as it appears and the right for parents to choose what’s best for… Read More »
[January 26, 2015] American core values are not something we hear people talk about much these days. We do hear politicians talking about “fairness” and “equality”, yet the meanings do not always align with what most Americans think. Our leaders help set the tone for dialog and we look to them for how to treat others and for… Read More »
[January 25, 2015] A few days ago, I was invited to have lunch with about a dozen good friends; all retired from the U.S. military. While eating our pastrami sandwiches and drinking cream soda, the inevitable comment came up about how many young people in the U.S. are so different from us. American core values have not had… Read More »