[August 3, 2019] Several of my peers, U.S. Infantry Commanders, were sitting in a Fort Benning, Georgia lecture hall to hear secret information on recent Soviet main battle tank improvements. The speaker, a full Colonel of Intelligence, was over 45 minutes late and when he showed, he fumbled his notes and joked about the traffic in our sleepy… Read More »
[July 17, 2019] Abraham Lincoln once said that any man could withstand adversity but to “test a man’s character, give him power.” This is a visionary idea from a great man, but by no means new. It has long been recognized, long before recorded history, that the make-up of a person – their mental and ethical traits –… Read More »
[July 14, 2019] Yes! Not only can leadership be taught to kids successfully, but it is also being done all the time; we don’t call it leadership training. I am often at odds with parents who say it’s impossible to teach kids leader skills. The problem is not that teaching skills is important; character development is more crucial… Read More »
[June 29, 2019] If you’ve never had to deal with a toxic leader, you are one lucky person. Whether it is in a job, an organization composed of volunteers, or at home, toxic leaders make our lives miserable and actively inhibit our sense of wellbeing and ability to get things done. U.S. Army Lieutenant General Hal Moore and… Read More »
[February 3, 2019] Someone once said that the mythic journey of life is always about selflessness. And so, in today’s leadership blog, I recognize the sacrifice of four U.S. Army Chaplains. Their bravery and selflessness in the face of mortal danger show us the pinnacle of what it means to be a man of profound decency. On this… Read More »
[January 30, 2019] A few years ago I found my very first Platoon Leader on a military website. He had pinned mosquito wings (Private E-2) onto my collar while stationed in Siegelsbach, West Germany and given me some much-needed assistance and advice. I was able to show gratitude and appreciation for his help by thanking him. “Gratitude is… Read More »
[January 29, 2019] In 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke before a large crowd in Selma, Alabama where he said: “no lie can live forever.”1 The speech marked a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement that was to force American politicians to accept that all citizens had the right to vote finally. At the heart of MLK’s… Read More »
[January 28, 2019] It was a great personal shock to me when my family moved from a small, sleepy Louisiana town to a large, vibrant Texas city. It was in that first year of High School that I first came across students and teachers who were likable (but not popular) and those who were popular (but not very… Read More »
[January 25, 2019] Leadership comes in many forms. Yet, of the more undervalued leaders, those who provide moral and intellectual arguments for or against a particular idea hold a special role. Their advocacy can be compelling as it was for Professor Wilhelm Röpke (sometimes spelled Roepke). Wilhelm Röpke (1899 – 1966) devoted his life to combating collectivism in… Read More »
[January 11, 2019] You don’t need a chest full of medals, possess a fabulous resume, or have a handsome face to have it. Command presence is a leader’s projection to everyone present of an advanced form of authority, trust, and respect. Often described as an allusive quality, command presence is plainly noticeable when you observe someone firmly in… Read More »