[October 18, 2015] There are always generational differences. Those differences are more pronounced now than ever – at least it seems that way – and that is often credited with improving technology, medical advancements, and cultural change brought on by great movements of people. But do we really appreciate the differences between generations? I think yes and I… Read More »
[October 17, 2015] My maternal grandmother and parents spent much of their time educating me in the ways of the world. They taught me much about the fundamentals of leadership without it being called such and pushed me to be a real man by being responsible for my actions. But today we see less of this in our… Read More »
[October 8, 2015] As a newly commissioned Second Lieutenant of Infantry, I was assigned to a platoon that had been without an officer for over a year. Promises had been made to them and broken repeatedly. To say they were a little disillusioned over how they were treated by unit officers is an understatement. My senior Non-Commissioned Officer,… Read More »
[October 1, 2015] One of the lessons leaders quickly learn in the military is that leaders eat last. In truth this means that leaders forgo their personal interests to support the team. To say that leaders eat last is also symbolic of the notion that leaders accept their responsibility to assist people – who are part of their… Read More »
[September 5, 2015] One hundred and one years ago today French General Joseph Joffre gave the order to attack the advancing German armies that were pushing allied troops westward in a series of defeats early in World War I. Failure would mean the death of thousands, the collapse of military forces resisting the Germans, and the fall of… Read More »
[August 5, 2015] My maternal grandmother was fond of giving her grandchildren sage advice. One particular time when a group of us cousins were playing with fireworks and had set the grass on fire, she said to us “okay, spit it out, who started this, and whoever did it can expect a butt whoopin’.” She put fear into… Read More »
[July 19, 2015] I’ve been very fortunate during my lifetime to have had many people around me that gave good advice and lucky for me I actually paid attention and followed their guidance … sometimes. Imagine if you will for just a moment an Army Drill Sergeant screaming in your face, “Private, you don’t do your job, you’re… Read More »
[May 13, 2014] One of the first commanders that I worked for shortly after my commission to Second Lieutenant was a great guy and family man. He was the kind of person you could have a beer with and enjoy watching the football game on television. However, as a leader he had one major flow; he could not… Read More »
[April 23, 2014] As leaders we often find it difficult to clearly communicate what tasks need to get done and with as few mistakes as possible. Surprised? Of course not. Leaders normally give good orders but fail to communicate plainly their intent and also fail to put it into the proper context so that an employee can carry… Read More »
[April 10, 2014] In the U.S. Army we are fond of saying the “maximum effective range of an excuse is zero meters.” This is a play on words that harks to the effective killing range of a weapon system. I learned this the hard way when, on my first day as a platoon leader, several of my unit’s… Read More »