Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[April 7, 2019] The old and grizzled Sergeant Major, Korea and Vietnam War veteran, was talking last week with a group of young college students. Just out of luck, I happened by and overheard that gravelly voice one would expect from such a man. He was giving them some basic advice; to get respect, you must be willing… Read More »
[April 6, 2019] If I were a philosopher, I would write that ‘the world is full of tragedy, chaos, misery, and at the same time, full of wonder.’ But alas, that is not the case. Even I can see that the world is a place of action; not of things. That is why leadership is the fulcrum on… Read More »
[April 5, 2019] There’s an old stereotype about high-ranking politicians; they cannot function without an entourage of hangers-on, large staffs, and a litany of helpers and attention seekers. It would seem our political leaders are out of touch with the world because they exist in a bubble, dependent upon others. In the military, we call any such person… Read More »
[April 4, 2019] It was late summer 1983, and I’d been on a training exercise with the U.S. Army for nearly three weeks. The heat, humidity, bugs, and dirt had taken its toll on us (that was the idea). The Captain leading us told me to dig in a new foxhole near our unit’s flank. After getting it… Read More »
[April 3, 2019] I was listening to a podcast the other day with Professor Jordan Peterson of the University of Toronto. By his explanation, the talk was an exploration of the origins of religious thinking. Thinking is, of course, the one thing leaders must do and do better than others. He mentioned the story of St. George and… Read More »
[April 2, 2019] I was working out at the local gym when a new and very young trainer came up to me. She said to improve my physique and stamina, a harder workout was necessary. If you are around people trying to get and stay healthy, I’m sure you’ve heard her advice at some point; no pain, no… Read More »
[April 1, 2019] The path to success and the ability to get things done in any of life’s challenges are built around the proficiency of reading, writing, and speaking clearly. Formal education – the methodical teaching of these skills – is the necessary starting point but not the end to the development of us. “The fool spoke precisely… Read More »
[March 28, 2019] After my initial tour of duty overseas in West Germany, the first movie I saw upon my return was Rocky (1976). Starring Sylvester Stallone, this movie was a come-from-behind story about an uneducated, small-time boxer who wants to regain his self-respect by fighting the world heavy-weight champion. It’s about one man’s desire never to accept… Read More »
[March 26, 2019] What constitutes evil is not easily explained. It will always be the task of all moral leaders to identify, resist, and whenever possible destroy evil. For example, civilized nations came together during World War II to defeat the oppressive tyranny of the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis. Evil can be defeated as we have seen in the history… Read More »
[March 24, 2019] Henry Ford was one of America’s foremost industrialists; revolutionalizing assembly-line modes of production for the automobile. It comes as no surprise that the title of my article today is one of his direct quotes; don’t find fault, find a remedy. “Most people spend more time and energy going around problems than in trying to solve… Read More »