Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[November 01, 2014] Politicians say the darnest things. In only three days the United States has all its House of Representatives and one-third of its Senators are up for election. It makes you want to give up watching television or reading the newspaper with all the advertisements. Yet if we did, one would be missing some really attention-getting quotes.… Read More »
[October 31, 2014] The San Francisco Giants deserve the accolades that come with winning Major League Baseball’s championship series. Congratulations to the Giants! Tucked in behind the win is great leadership ensuring that the “heart of the game” was never lost. Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy has been a key part of the leadership since 2006 and is the… Read More »
[October 30, 2014] When we look back on the 20th Century United States history, we see many great figures. There were those in politics and the military that shepherded us through two great wars and a number of other major conflicts. There were those in science who lead us forward in medicine, physics, engineering, and chemistry. And, while… Read More »
[October 29, 2014] An American tradition, one that has historically set the citizens of the United States apart from their European ancestors, is the questioning of their leadership. It is not a sign of disrespect but one of a healthy debate about right versus wrong. Political, military, and business leaders are challenged on their decisions and even their… Read More »
[October 28, 2014] Explanations on why so many people are attracted to extremist and terrorist organizations have been advanced by Western civilians for decades. The usual explanation is they are recruited to extremism due to poverty and if we were only to provide them with a safety net and means to live our citizens would not be attracted… Read More »
[October 27, 2014] Ever talk with a leader and come away wondering what the heck the person told you? Ever listen to a leader’s speech and wonder if there was any part worth listening to? Well … then you are not alone. Leaders talk all the time and many say nothing. While this is unfortunate, it is nevertheless… Read More »
[October 25, 2014] While stationed in Iraq on a combat tour, one of my junior lieutenants kept a list of corny sayings on the wall in my office. Whenever anyone would use a cornball expression, he would jump up and scribble it immediately on the wall, while smiling as if he had just learned something spectacular. I had… Read More »
[October 24, 2014] A common tendency of many large bureaucratic organizations is to sputter along, avoiding controversy and dodging problems whenever possible. I call this method “tending the herd.” The British call it “muddling through;” where organizations and people just continue doing what they were doing, often despite any difficulties or confusion around them. There is value in… Read More »
[October 24, 2014] Seeing that a crisis can create opportunity is the first step in superior leadership. Anyone ever having the honor of being inside a military tactical operations center during a battle can see for themselves that a crisis generates risk and opens new prospects. In battle the risks can be deadly and failure horrific but the… Read More »
[October 23, 2014] During World War II, the Battle of Normandy began on D-Day June 6, 1944. Codenamed Operation Overlord, the battle was the beginning of the end of war in Europe. General Dwight Eisenhower’s strategic decision for the main Allied thrust to start the drive in northern Europe was unpopular since it carried great risk, with many… Read More »