Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[October 1, 2016] My wife and I were watching the most recent U.S. presidential debates the other night and she kept asking, rhetorically, why both candidates were exaggerating the truth. Padded resumes, overstated professional credentials, misrepresentation of their career, etc. are unexpectedly common among people of all walks of life. But … for the senior leader, it’s folly… Read More »
[September 30, 2016] One of the greatest military strategists and philosophers on war, Sun Tzu, wrote that “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” 1 As a strategist he recognized that by positioning military forces in such a way that the enemy knew that defeat was certain, he would surrender. One of the… Read More »
[September 29, 2016] A few days ago I was asked who is considered to be the most influential person on the topic of leadership over the past half century. When I mentioned the name Warren Bennis, I got a number of puzzled looks and understood that my audience of young middle managers didn’t know the name. Being a… Read More »
[September 28, 2016] In this second part to the results of a meeting at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. on senior leader leadership, I will report some of the alternative ways that some of the most senior leaders of the military look at what we can do to teach, coach, and mentor other senior leaders (Part 1 is… Read More »
[September 27, 2016] When we look at military senior leaders it’s common to refer to war as the ultimate crucible where their leadership is determined by who wins on the battlefield. During the Spanish-American War of 1898 (yes, I know, ancient history) most leaders of U.S. forces were incapacitated by disease that, in effect, took them out of… Read More »
[September 26, 2016] War! Any armed conflict is a vicious, cruel affair and is neither fair nor clean, nor simple. Consequently, it’s difficult to report on its impact. Civil wars in particular are brutish and nasty because many fighters are not professionals and they lack good leadership, but also because civilians are more likely to be killed and… Read More »
[September 25, 2016] A few months ago at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., there was a discussion at the most senior levels of the U.S. military on emerging leaders. About a dozen new General/Flag officers were being advised on what would be expected of them in their roles. Much is to be expected of a senior leader but… Read More »
[September 24, 2016] Driving through New York City yesterday I saw numerous warnings about driving into Manhattan because of traffic congestion created by the United Nations General Assembly meetings; another typical day for a New Yorker. Yet, with the heightened visibility of those meetings we get another flurry of those who predict the end of the UN’s usefulness… Read More »
[September 23, 2016] I was an enlisted man for 7 years in the U.S. Army before receiving my officer commission. One of my proudest moments was when I was promoted to the rank of Sergeant (E-5 pay grade). More commonly known as Buck Sergeant, I was fortunate to have plenty of mentors who gave me the basics on… Read More »
[September 22, 2016] Growing up in the Deep South of the United States several decades ago, grade school was where you learned the basics; reading, writing, and arithmetic. You also learned “civics” and gained knowledge about how American government functions. One lesson from my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Louise McDermott was the importance of U.S. President Lincoln’s issuing… Read More »