Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[August 17, 2015] One of the most difficult character traits of senior leaders to obtain, and to develop in all leaders for that matter, is the ability to judge character in others. Leaders are looking for specific traits in others that predict successful mission completion or are obstacles to teamwork. Sadly, we often see inexperienced leaders who misjudge… Read More »
[August 16, 2015] A special treat for my readers today! A new book on my recommended list is by a writer who is a 4-star U.S. Army general; no surprise but in this case it’s the Army’s first female general. This is a new book, only recently published and comes out at a time the women running for… Read More »
[August 15, 2015] New generations entering into leadership positions today deserve to be cautioned about the good and bad side of social media as well as the often unseen consequences of its use. For those leaders who must use the media in ways that require us to be discreet, there are many pitfalls. The latest example of mistakes… Read More »
[August 14, 2015] During my tenure in the U.S. Army I had the pleasure of meeting and working with people of all stripes; the good and the bad. As a Captain, I worked for one of the smartest people I’ve ever meet. He had the most imaginative, detailed, and well-developed plans I’d seen then and since. But he… Read More »
[August 13, 2015] Baseball is in full swing across the United States and I enjoy any day that I can go see a contest between two good ball teams. Sports are an outlet where people of all types can enjoy competition among teams. The more local a sport the better because that is where the real passion can… Read More »
[August 12, 2015] If there is a single mistake that I can point to that junior leaders frequently make is that they fail to provide the necessary leadership engagement required of them. Ask any person in a senior position and they will tell you that communication is crucial for success yet consistently wherever I went, I found leaders… Read More »
[August 11, 2015] I once had a politician tell me that she and her fellow city council members were not required to follow the ordinances from the city of which she was elected. Legally, of course, that was not true … but many people, leaders specifically, often believe they are exempt from the rules and the law. Few… Read More »
[August 10, 2015] It’s been 70 years since the unprecedented decision was made by U.S. President Harry Truman to use the atomic bomb on Japan. The decision itself was no easy one for President Truman because of the huge costs in civilian lives that would occur. Yet leaders should closely study the decision; one day they may be… Read More »
[August 9, 2015] Just a few days ago the first presidential debate of 2015 was hosted by Fox News and Facebook and was watched by a record number of people. How senior leaders view the debate of those participating will be discussed here. Senior leaders will, in most cases, have far greater leadership experience, management expertise, and relevant… Read More »
[August 8, 2015] Lack of a compelling vision! This blog post is the third in a series that explores U.S. presidential candidates from the perspective of other senior leaders. What it is not, is a rehash of ideas from the media. We know at this point that Jeb Bush’s campaign has not taken off despite being flush with… Read More »