Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[December 4, 2018] The U.S. Civil War was the product of a divided nation resulting from an attempt by southern states to break from the union. Weighing their personal beliefs, citizens had to choose which side they threw their support to; the Union or the Confederacy. John C. Breckinridge was one of these men who would come away… Read More »
[December 3, 2018] About ten years ago, a little-known book made a splash in business management circles. The reason, I believe, was because the book’s theme was that managers must learn to be leaders if they plan on getting anything of value accomplished. Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles wrote the book titled, “Gung Ho! Turn on the People… Read More »
[November 30, 2018] Hi readers! This weekend, I have a special treat. Readers of my leadership website know that I regularly accept guest blogging. I do this to add a little flair and change the scenery. We’ve read some really good ones; some better than what you typically find out on the Web. Please take time to read… Read More »
[November 30, 2018] One of my jobs as a 14-year old teenager, and where I learned many lessons, was taking out the trash at a local restaurant. David Hackworth once said that “It’s human nature to start taking things for granted when danger isn’t banging loudly on the door.” That’s exactly the way it was one day when… Read More »
[November 29, 2018] Like many of my generation, I grew up hearing the phrase, ‘You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!’ It comes from the 1890 poem by Rudyard Kipling; written from the point of view of an English soldier in India. Understanding the poem means the reader has learned that the character of a person… Read More »
[November 28, 2018] Many years ago I was writing one of my first evaluations of a junior officer. Before I started, my boss gave me some advice; “Don’t use words that are overtly critical. Use ‘bland’ language. We will know what it means.” In other words, in the military we use coded language that says one thing but… Read More »
[November 27, 2018] I hate hats.1 I hate wearing them, keeping them looking good, and I hate the way they fit on my head. If it’s raining, I use an umbrella or hood on my coat to keep the rain off my head. But, over time I’ve come to realize that hats also define my leadership. By that… Read More »
[November 26, 2018] With the upcoming holiday season and the time of giving, I thought it appropriate to once again address the topic that real leaders create goodwill. They create it year round. The benefits are well known and it typically takes little effort to make it happen. The benefits for a leader are straightforward. Goodwill encourages loyalty,… Read More »
[November 24, 2018] The idea that leadership is a sacred trust is not new. Because the meaning is so broad, there is a lack of clarity. What does it mean when we say that leadership is a sacred trust? Is this a religious statement? “It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”… Read More »
[November 16, 2018] It has been said that any war that is undertaken by a nation, cannot be won without spies. Spies provide us with an in-depth understanding of the enemy and allow us to ferret out how the enemy attacks us covertly. Today, I’ll highlight a small group of spies that penetrated the interworkings of British intelligence… Read More »