Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[December 23, 2015] Appearing on the cover of LIFE Magazine on December 19, 1969, Charles Manson is the infamous cult leader of the “Family”.1 Cult leadership is frequently associated with megalomaniacs, crazies, and psychotic and narcissistic personalities. The danger may be evident in the case of Charles Manson but I will argue that it is for more insidious… Read More »
[December 22, 2015] I worked for a commander in the recent past who could talk with absolute clarity about any complex subject. His orders were clear to avoid any confusion to avoid mistakes that could be costly. Of the many well-known senior U.S. Army officers, he was the best person that I’d ever known that could do this… Read More »
[December 21, 2015] In high school all my friends and I took every science course we could. We did this because we’d made up our minds that we were going to college and wanted to see what we liked most as a potential major. The chemistry teacher was the schools most likeable and that helped explain why many… Read More »
[December 20, 2015] The Republican debates have resulted in a number of unexpected consequences for the candidates and the party itself. For those interested in the study of senior leadership, the debates have given us food for thought on who possesses the traits necessary to hold the presidency and has provided some entertainment value along the way. Unlike… Read More »
[December 19, 2015] … to be a great leader. A commander of mine a few years ago often developed new ideas, many of which were rarely acted upon. Innovative, creative, and intelligent leaders are rare and they play an important role, but it takes more than good ideas for a person to demonstrate great leadership that must be… Read More »
[December 18, 2015] As of this writing, there are several hot socio-political challenges – both nationally and internationally – that are worth a few words because they’ve put leaders under pressure to act correctly. Many leaders are being opposed by a swell of public opinion and with a hint of constituents’ anger.1 Of those, the great leaders will… Read More »
[December 17, 2015] The obligations of leadership are significant and profound. It follows that no leader should take their duties lightly, whether in conduct of their professional obligations or in their personal affairs. Only by doing so, with such moral and ethical traits, can leaders prove themselves always, every day, to their followers’ To be successful, leaders must… Read More »
[December 16, 2015] As military truisms go, this saying has been around since before recorded history. To underestimate your enemy often led directly to your death and to a Darwinian winnowing of leaders. In the business world, a related axiom is that you should never underestimate your competition. When senior leaders underestimate the enemy, people suffer – massacres,… Read More »
[December 15, 2016] A recent warming spell here in New York City got me outside more and pulled me from my reading time. The other day, I saw some news about the decommissioned U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Intrepid. Now a Sea, Air, and Space museum complex, its bookstore is small but contains a copy of a book about… Read More »
[December 14, 2015] A recurrent theme here in theLeaderMaker.com blog is that those people with resilient personalities are more likely to be successful and productive members of society. There are additional benefits, like better mental and physical health, and that’s why leaders are look for ways to encourage resilience in others. However, there has been pushback on the… Read More »