Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[May 30, 2020] The year before my good friends Bill, Greg, and I were headed to the same college for degrees in engineering, we each bought a car. In Texas, a car is a “must have” if you plan to get anywhere. We all envied Greg. He bought a 1968 red Chevrolet Camaro. The car was in immaculate… Read More »
[May 29, 2020] If we look at professional literature on leadership, there is a solid consensus that two factors allow us to foretell leader success. Intelligence (as measured in IQ) and conscientiousness are hands down, the strongest predictors of success. These two also measure success in higher education, military careers, and mid-level managerial positions. Based on my observations,… Read More »
[May 28, 2020] U.S. Army General Omar Bradley once said that “leadership is intangible, and therefore no weapon ever designed can replace it.” Bradley understood that truth shines a light on everything a leader does or does not do. He was adamant that truth was the fundamental element of leadership and that there is no such thing as… Read More »
[May 27, 2020] Leaders are essential to other people. And since they are also vital to any team or group, leaders have a moral and leadership obligation to take care of themselves. We don’t have to like our leaders or agree with them, but followers have an equal duty to remind leaders to care for themselves. Leaders should… Read More »
[May 26, 2020] Wilson, my best friend since before I could remember, was out to make a few cents to buy candy. He and I would hook up on Saturday mornings and canvas the small town we grew up in for discarded coke bottles. After collecting as many as we could carry, we would turn them in for… Read More »
[May 25, 2020] Memorial Day has always been the most sacred day of the year for Americans. Honoring those heroes who have fallen in the line of duty seems built into our DNA. Our victories in war may be important, but we still humble ourselves through our actions. The only land we claim as our own are the… Read More »
[May 24, 2020] An Army Colonel once told me that his path to success had a lot to do with him stealing good ideas from others. Initially, I was shocked. But I realized that we all steal ideas all the time; we call this learning. We take the ideas of others, make them our own, and integrate them… Read More »
[May 23, 2020] Over the next few months, I will be dedicating space in my blog to discuss the leadership characteristics of George C. Marshall. After George Washington, Marshall is considered the “most respected soldier in American history.”1 Yet, he never commanded troops in battle, the customary path to greatness for a military leader. So what was it… Read More »
[May 22, 2020] There are times in our lives when we are trying something new and innovative that the old methods simply don’t work. In the military, when we are on the attack, one method of flushing out the enemy to force him into unexpected actions is reconnaissance by fire. Such a risky technique is what we’ve all… Read More »
[May 21, 2020] Long ago, I lost count of the number of mid and senior grade Army officers and Sergeants that I counseled because they did not get promoted as expected. The reasons can be complicated but the more common reasons I will list here. Yet, while there are differences across organizations, most are the same. We all… Read More »