Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[February 6, 2018] It has been said many times that war is simply a continuation of politics by other means. Actually the Prussian theorist Carl von Clausewitz wrote it in his book On War (1832) and is one of the most important treatises on political-military analysis and strategy ever written. Clausewitz, like so many other theorists closely links war,… Read More »
[February 5, 2018] Just a reminder that this section on political leadership is part of an on-going series in which I focus on new and controversial ideas. Today, my focus is on Heather MacDonald, Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and contributing editor of City Journal. She, like so many others on this site, is provocative in her ideas;… Read More »
[February 4, 2018] Tonight at 6:30 pm (Eastern Time), the Super Bowl LII kickoff will bring us a wealth of lessons that leaders can take to heart and, if used wisely, can improve upon our knowledge and skills. Focus will be on gameplay and how the coaches and players do their jobs but it will also be on… Read More »
[February 3, 2018] That’s what I was told as my girlfriend pinned my Second Lieutenant bars on me at our commissioning ceremony. “Leaders! It’s not about you,” the commandant of the ROTC program spoke to the new military officers at Penn State University. Not about you? The message was unclear but later, after I had more experience, his… Read More »
[February 2, 2018] Good leaders have many friends. Great leaders have true friends. Some say that the best way to succeed in one’s profession is to have a wide network of folks who are helpful. Such a network can be tapped for information, advice, and encouragement. Yet, what the network can rarely provide, something only true friends can,… Read More »
[February 1, 2018] A few years ago as an Army Brigade Commander, I was called upon to investigate another senior officer who had purportedly stolen from a military warehouse. Despite my experience in this type of investigation, it lasted months longer than it should have because witnesses were placing their loyalty over morality. Doing this type of investigation… Read More »
[January 31, 2018] There are many advantages modern industrial societies provide; some of which have been outlined here in theLeaderMaker.com. There are also downsides. One downside for many of us is that we are very busy people. Leaders are especially busy at work and home and that can cause them to lose sight of the big picture. The… Read More »
[January 30, 2018] A number of years ago I had the opportunity to witness new Army recruits training at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Drill Sergeants were yelling at the recruits for them to get into formation and it was hard not to notice the look of fear on their faces. Motivation was being provided by the U.S. Army… Read More »
[January 29, 2018] Learning how to be a better, more informed leader is often gained through the intense study of the history of significant events. In the U.S. Army, for example, junior officers study the Mỹ Lai Massacre in Vietnam as the epitome of failed military leadership and how shame was brought upon the United States because of… Read More »
[January 28, 2018] The recent news of a growing epidemic of opioid drug use in America is unsurprising as its use has now spread among the rich and famous; those with influence and power. I bring up the war on drugs because it provides us with an opportunity to look at the failure of leadership at the highest… Read More »