[September 20, 2021] A lot can be said about the many traits we find in the best of leaders: loyalty, morally courageous, accountability, etc. Conversely, there has been little written about destructive leader characteristics, those traits that damage those inside their organization and act as impediments to excellence. But among those destructive traits, which one is the most… Read More »
[September 19, 2021] One of the most difficult character traits of leaders to obtain, and to develop, is the ability to judge character in others. Leaders are looking for specific traits in people that predict successful mission completion or are obstacles to teamwork. Sadly, we often see inexperienced leaders who misjudge character; leading to unforeseen problems. “I admire… Read More »
[September 18, 2021] One sure-fire way of improving your leadership skills is learning about what great leaders think. How and why they think specific ways is crucial to helping replicate their successes. Unfortunately, this is a challenging task that requires a serious investment in time and study, but it also requires a lot of good luck. “Thinking is… Read More »
[September 17, 2021] Historically, the most critical factor of leadership is getting results. This is why, today at least, it is vital to have a leader who has an excellent moral foundation and can thus be trusted to do the right thing. Furthermore, the best leaders will never believe the end justifies the means to achieve a goal.… Read More »
[September 16, 2021] General George S. Patton was one of America’s greatest generals. There is hardly a person alive today who has not heard of him and his exploits during World War II. But that’s only part of the story. Patton surrounded himself with some of the best minds in operational warfare and allowed those people to do… Read More »
[September 15, 2021] Command Sergeants Majors (CSM) are the U.S. Army’s most senior enlisted soldiers, and all our military services have an equivalent. They are highly respected, and they give their wisdom and advice to senior commanders to help their units run smoothly. One CSM once gave me his thoughts on why there are so few strong leaders… Read More »
[September 14, 2021] Occasionally, there comes along someone who is able to put into words what we all have been thinking about on valuable things, but just couldn’t quite put our finger on it. That person is Dr. Jordan Peterson. Dr. Peterson is an award-winning lecturer at the University of Toronto, a practicing clinical psychologist, and author of… Read More »
[September 13, 2021] It has been written repeatedly among those who study leadership that one of their most sought-after characteristics is the ability to unite people for a common cause. Such a rare capability is desirable in the obvious but requires great strength of courage, broad experience, and wisdom. To unite is the epitome of greatness. “Divide and… Read More »
[September 12, 2021] In January 1999, U.S. Navy Captain L. David Marquet took command of the nuclear submarine USS Santa Fe (SSN-763). At the time, the sub was known throughout the Navy as its worst performing vessel and yet had been listed for a deployment later that year. The story of Captain Marquet’s success was, at its core, turning… Read More »
[September 11, 2021] There are many memories of September 11, 2001; this 20th anniversary of that terrible event. Today, I’m bringing you the words of Richard Pearson, Executive Director of the Illinois State Rifle Association. It is hard to believe that 9/11/2001 was 20 years ago. I, like many of you, remember where I was and what I… Read More »