Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[April 01, 2015]. The Germanwings airline co-pilot deliberately steered his commercial jet into the French Alps killing all 150 aboard. It was discovered he had hidden his mental health problems from the airline. People often obscure mental issues from their employers, friends, and family. Leaders are particularly prone to hide them because of adverse impacts on their employment… Read More »
[March 31, 2015] With violence continuing to escalate in the Middle East, a small number of world leaders have stood out among many. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu is one who has become a loud voice condemning the actions of terrorism in general and the brutality of Iran in particular. His speeches provide us with a view… Read More »
[March 30, 2015] Something that has not happened before – at least in a very long time – is the formation of an Arab Army. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi appears to be leading the effort for Sunni Arabs to push back on extensive Shia military gains in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, and elsewhere. This is not the… Read More »
[March 29, 2015] Every newly promoted Brigadier General and Rear Admiral attends a Department of Defense leadership course.1 The objectives are many but most important is that the course helps them transition their understanding from operational/tactical to strategic issues. Important items in the leadership toolbox are leader courses that are a proven way to improve success in leaders.… Read More »
[March 27, 2015] While the beginning of Spring finally arrived, it certainly doesn’t mean that the warmer weather gives me any less time to read. Over the Winter I grew more fond of reading the political lessons of players on the world stage. That is why the book today is about what will become one of the classic… Read More »
[March 27, 2015] There are many world leaders that claim the United States has neither a grand strategy for the Middle East nor one for its own national security. Furthermore they claim this has lead to greater instability around the world. Such bold commentary from such high ranking leaders is worthy of a response.1 “Strategy without tactics is… Read More »
[March 26, 2015] If one questions senior leaders about how they learned their most valuable lessons in leadership, their answers may surprise you. The most effective lessons are not from good coaching, mentorship, or teaching but comes about from the mistakes made by other senior executives; even a university leader. Such is the case at Cornell University, Ithaca… Read More »
[March 25, 2015] Carl von Clausewitz published an influential book called On War in 1832. In this work, he introduced the concept of “friction” as a hindrance to the execution of strategy. We have discovered that one of the difficulties associated with senior leadership is being able to accurately identify and surmount strategic friction points. “The good general must… Read More »
[March 24, 2015] The second time I ever saw a show in a movie theater was The Great Escape starring Steve McQueen and many other well-known actors. Like many others of my pre-teenage years, it inspired me to be like those brave men. The Great Escape was more than a movie or an event; it helped boost morale… Read More »
[March 23, 2014] My grandmother – affectionately called big mama – told me many times that, “if you ain’t learning, you ain’t livin.” She valued all types of education and was the first relative to insist I go to college. Continuous learning, she implicitly knew, is one of the many good habits a person needs to be the… Read More »