Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[November 17, 2015] The second Democratic debate was held this past Saturday. There are a number of well constructed analyses of the debate but I will depart from them, as I’ve done before here at theLeaderMaker.com, and provide a senior leader analysis. Remember that senior leader input will likely differ substantially from public opinion polls.1 The broadcast network… Read More »
[November 16, 2015] In the first installment of this 3-part series I proposed that the U.S. military has a leadership problem. Irrespective of how we measure leadership or determine its leader effectiveness, it has been accepted that the quality of military leadership today is in decline. For those of us currently in the military or recently retired, this… Read More »
[November 15, 2015] A nation’s best leaders rise to the occasion when their skills are needed during a crisis. Such was the need for French President François Hollande to quickly and clearly establish that he could show strong leadership in uniting France during the latest Islamic terror in Paris and in that, he was successful and more. The… Read More »
[November 14, 2015] It was once written by military theorist Carl von Clausewitz that “war is a continuation of politics by other means.” We should remember the truth in that statement when the Battle of Ia Drang is reviewed for its origins and aftermath. Like any battle, it cannot be viewed in isolation, nor can the importance of… Read More »
[November 13, 2015] The U.S. military has a leadership problem. Evidence for the decline in its leadership capability is more than circumstantial, as some claim, because it shows in a deterioration of confidence our military personnel have in their leaders and the inability of those leaders to adapt to relevant problems. Identifying problems within the military leadership system,… Read More »
[November 12, 2015] If national leaders were asked about what concerns them most – any issue of great import to their country – immigration would certainly be at the top of that list. Western leaders in particular would likely say it is the singular concern they have to address due to its impact on their nation’s security and… Read More »
[November 11, 2015] Today is Veterans Day in the United States. There will be parades, speeches, and many who will make a special effort to honestly thank our military veterans for their service to the nation and contribution to our freedoms. To those people, I say, thank you. But, in reality, while there is much to celebrate, all… Read More »
[November 10, 2015] The country of Venezuela continues its economic and social decline. Venezuela’s president Maduro has cracked-down even more on the political opposition and further tightened economic controls as the the country slowly slides into chaos. The opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was just sentenced to 13 years in prison for “formenting violence.” Condemned worldwide as a travesty… Read More »
[November 9, 2015] My wife and I had a wonderful time visiting family in Chicago and spending time with the new granddaughter. Family is always important and too often our time in leadership positions pushes us to sacrifice time with them; a danger senior leaders should be careful to avoid. Today’s reading is a popular self help book… Read More »
[November 8, 2015] When my daughter entered college with the desire to graduate with a degree in Applied Physics, I alerted her to the difficult requirements of advanced mathematics. She brushed me off as if she already knew how to do well. After making a “D –” in her first Calculus course (can you get closer to fail?)… Read More »