Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[March 14, 2018] Early in my childhood I was given a precious piece of advice from my maternal grandmother (“Bigmama,” yes, that what we called her). Bigmama said that the people around us have a power over us that can be either good or bad. Therefore, it is a person’s option to choose your associations in life but… Read More »
[March 13, 2018] Like many “older” college students returning to school, there was a small group of us who were going back from the Army. As enlisted members of the U.S. military, we had been selected to complete a college degree toward commissioning as officers. But each of us had made crucial errors in our assumptions about the… Read More »
[March 12, 2018] We’re all guilty of failing to show respect to our subordinates at one time or another. Whether unknowingly or worse, purposefully, we have not shown the respect due others; that which is required of us as leaders. Yet whether a subordinate deserves respect is irrelevant; showing it at all times is an unwritten requirement of… Read More »
[March 11, 2018] There’s a story about U.S. Army General George S. Patton from World War II that showed that he was a great example of a charismatic leader. Just after being assigned as the commander of the U.S. Third Army he traveled to his new headquarters with blaring sirens on the jeep and dressed immaculately in his… Read More »
[March 10, 2018] For months, after each return to the U.S. from a year-long tour of combat in Iraq, I would talk with folks and explain to them that it was “weird” to be back home. I would relay the similarities I had personally heard from other combat veterans from the War on Terror. My explanation to them… Read More »
[March 9, 2018] Tim Tebow once told his fans about what helped him in his successful career as a professional football player; he told them that “We have to humble ourselves and the way you do that is by serving other people.” We know, for leaders in a modern world, the path to success is to follow the… Read More »
[March 13, 2018] As the new website updates take place, I continue to try out new tweaks here and there. If you find a bad link, please let me know either by a post or via email douglas.r.satterfield@gmail.com. March 8, 2018] It’s been a long time since I updated my leadership website and it’s undergoing minor changes over… Read More »
[March 8, 2018] This is a pretty bold statement to make since it is based only on conversations with senior leaders in the military. Sadly, however, it’s too true that leaders fear it. Because of the fear, I discovered that performance counseling of subordinates is just one of those things that is allowed to slip past without anyone… Read More »
[March 7, 2018] If you listen to renowned Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson, he will tell you that to make life meaningful, one must take on demanding responsibilities. Any good leader could tell you the same thing. While everyone has certain societal rights they also have responsibilities and that what makes the world a decent place to work, worship,… Read More »
[March 6, 2018] Working close to the flag is an old military saying that means a soldier works near a senior officer’s headquarters.1 As in any organizational culture, this means greater visibility and more opportunity for that particular military member. Such a position translates into a number of possibilities that can help or harm one’s career. One of… Read More »