Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[October 5, 2015] Russian leadership decided to increase their support for their ally Syria and President Bashar al-Assad and in doing so actively used their military in a more direct role. While few know the strategy of Russia, it’s sensible for them to keep it undisclosed, what is known is that their role is no longer to stand… Read More »
[October 4, 2015] Just 58 years ago today in 1957 the world entered the Space Age with the launch of the USSR satellite Sputnik 1. But the beginning of humankind’s curiosity about space dates back before recorded history; this being where any story of the new frontier of space begins. From Copernicus to von Braun, science led the… Read More »
[October 3, 2015] Since time immemorial there has been one effective act by leaders that has been so useful that its employment is considered an indispensable skill. The art of delivering a formal address in public is an ability considered a must have in the personal collection of the most successful leaders. It’s so important today that each… Read More »
[October 2, 2015] Autumn began a little over a week ago and now we’re feeling some of the cooler weather here in New York City. That means a little rain too and some time to pull a few of my “want to read” books offs my shelf for learning more about the art of leadership. A book I’ve… Read More »
[October 1, 2015] One of the lessons leaders quickly learn in the military is that leaders eat last. In truth this means that leaders forgo their personal interests to support the team. To say that leaders eat last is also symbolic of the notion that leaders accept their responsibility to assist people – who are part of their… Read More »
[September 30, 2015] In a previous post I listed the characteristics people like in a leader. What attracts people to a leader is of course no secret, but what is it that attracts leaders to other leaders? What leaders like in leaders, on the other hand, can be mysterious because so little is written about it. “Moral courage… Read More »
[September 29, 2015] On this date in 1982, twelve-year old Mary Kellerman died after taking a capsule of Tylenol pain medicine laced with cyanide. It’s now been 33 years since her death and the poisoning murders of six others remain unsolved. But some good came from the murders in that it prompted improved packaging of over the counter… Read More »
[September 28, 2015] There are some leaders to which we’re drawn and others that are just simply our bosses. What is it that attracts us to certain leaders while not to others is no mystery, for it has been written about since the beginning of recorded history. Yet it remains elusive to all but a few. Those things… Read More »
[September 27, 2015] Whenever I think of the maxim that real leaders don’t panic, I’m drawn to the actions of the men of 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment at the 1965 Battle of la Drang, Vietnam. Documented in the movie, We Were Soldiers Once … And Young, Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore and his men fought off a much… Read More »
[September 26, 2015] After the capture of the capital city of Baghdad Iraq in early 2004, coalition engineers were building confinement facilities for the thousands of prisoners. One of the engineers was U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Paul Smith. On April 4th his men were ambushed by a large Iraqi Republican Guard force. Smith was wounded early but… Read More »