Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[September 11, 2017] When we speak of past events it should be noted that people remember things differently and attach many levels of meaning and emotion to them. Like most of us in the United States, things changed for my military peers after the Islamic attacks on September 11, 2001 (aka 9/11). For senior leaders 9/11 meant seeing… Read More »
[September 10, 2017] On August 20, 2012, U.S. President Barack Obama used the phrase “red line” in the context of warning Syrian President Assad that the use of chemical weapons was a point at which the United States would take firm action against that country. A relatively new term –but old concept –the idea of red lines means… Read More »
[September 9, 2017] They say that senior leadership is all about big issues and that is true in its most literal sense when it comes to major hurricane preparation and recovery. Anybody can make easy decisions. Anybody can travel down a path traveled before by others. But being a great leader can mean making difficult decisions where lives… Read More »
[September 8, 2017] One of the more mundane facts about being in a senior leadership position is that they have greater awareness of the brutal truths of leadership and life than the ordinary person. That, in itself, explains why they have climbed to a higher level and are more likely to remain there as long as they obey… Read More »
[September 7, 2017] Those who have fought in war possess a unique perspective on the duty one holds when in combat with the enemy. War has a deep impact on those who are involved in the violence, more so than commonly understood. Success, however, is determined by those traits we possess prior to battle, not those developed within. … Read More »
[September 6, 2017] Greatness comes in many forms; as well as leadership exhibiting courage, sacrifice, and honor. Many words of prominence have also described the heroic efforts of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II and rightly so. Their motto … Go for Broke.1 “The Nisei troops are among the best in the United States Army… Read More »
[September 5, 2017] Those familiar with the dictatorship of North Korea and its socialist system know that its leadership can be unpredictable, bellicose, demanding, and as of late has practiced nuclear brinkmanship.1 Since the armistice was signed in 1953, ending three years of bloody warfare, Americans have consistently put off any real solution to the hermit nation. Strategic… Read More »
[September 4, 2017] Sit back today, relax, and learn – and appreciate – about what it’s like to be a worker in the United States. No, this is not a history lesson on the Labor Movement (although that is a good place to start), nor is this about Unions, strikes, injustice, picnics, or grilling hamburgers and drinking beer. … Read More »
[September 3, 2017] Happy “4th” Anniversary to theLeaderMaker! Special thanks to all my regular and new readers who have all made this leadership blog successful. As every regular reader knows, I post usually once per day on a topic of relevance to leaders across the world. There is never a shortage of topics and although most of those… Read More »
[September 2, 2017] Experience tells us that during our lifetime there will be many difficult situations and there will be a message to be found somewhere about what we need to learn from them. Often that message is brought to us by someone else, giving us bad news that we don’t want to hear. Since before recorded history… Read More »