Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[February 19, 2018] A good article by Glenn Ellmers recently focused on the “old ways” of dealing with bigotry and prejudice (link here) . Before I read it, I thought maybe he was talking about fist fights or something along those lines but he argues that the way we dealt with those problems years ago was different and… Read More »
[February 18, 2018] Clint Eastwood once said that “The guys who won World War II and that whole generation have disappeared, and now we have a bunch of teenage twits.” As documented in James Bradley’s popular Flags of Our Fathers (2000), Eastwood’s reference to the greatest generation was as much out of respect for their great accomplishments as it was… Read More »
[February 17, 2018] While my leadership post today is not a movie review – a movie called The 15:17 to Paris just came out – it is about what leaders do and what they should do in extraordinary situations. If there is anything trained leaders are taught, it is that being passive and being hesitant to make a decision… Read More »
[February 16, 2018] Last year I began a new blog thread to give a brief summary of leadership topics I like but could not get into sufficient detail. The clearing the spindle post today focuses on leaders and their challenges. Previous posts can be found at the links below. Leaders often draw enemies from unexpected directions. Harvard Law School professor,… Read More »
[February 15, 2018] There is something about watching the Olympic Games that makes us feel more alive, more proud, and perhaps even like a better person. I have no idea what makes this so but the grace we saw in the performance of the U.S. figure skaters won me over. U.S. Olympians on the Figure Skating Team, Mirai Nagasu… Read More »
[February 14, 2018] Last week I was sitting in a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) when I overheard several young men talking about their upcoming Basic Training course. One was saying that the Drill Sergeants will tell you to do the impossible and then yell at you when you fail. I laughed to myself because that happened to me… Read More »
[February 13, 2018] I learned a valuable lesson in command leadership when I was sent to inspect an army unit that had failed its annual GI inspection. I often say that leaders can learn valuable lessons from the failure of others and this was a case I would never forget. The unit commander had decided he would focus all his… Read More »
[February 12, 2018] It has been said that the world’s intellectual elites have been attacking Christianity generally and Roman Catholicism specifically for at least a century. Communist nations led this effort but there is one person who stands up against the state’s efforts and that man is Cardinal Joseph Zen. Cardinal Zen is well known for his outspokenness on… Read More »
[February 11, 2018] Just a few weeks ago, the U.S. National Security Agency made changes to their published core values (see them below and here on the NSA website). While the agency received criticism for this change1, that is not as big a problem as we are led to believe by the media. First, the criticism. Changed from the NSA’s… Read More »
[February 9, 2018] Leadership can be taught. That is the premise on which all leadership training is based and it is the reason so many folks have achieved great things in their lives. Today, I’m beginning a new series on leader training and today my focal point will be on the Sapper Leader Course conducted by the U.S. Army… Read More »