[June 25, 2017] It was the winter of 1974 when our Military Police platoon lined up for a “police call” for trash that might be around in the company area. Our unit’s mission was to guard nuclear warheads but today we were picking up trash. The order was then given for all sergeants to step to the rear.… Read More »
[June 24, 2017] U.S. President Harry S Truman once said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” The great Cold War that began shortly after World War II between the Soviet Union on one side and Western powers1 on the other and produced plenty of political “heat” dealing with it. The opposing views of… Read More »
[June 22, 2017] Effective leaders make a habit out of those things that work; that sustain them in times when things are tough. Leaders, therefore, must use their skills at persuasion to enforce standards of excellence. The only way to do this is to be approachable where people are not afraid to come to you and voice their… Read More »
[June 18, 2017] One thing about leadership that should never be forgotten is that talented leaders allow others to make mistakes without holding them against anyone. In the early 1980s my unit commander allowed me to take a platoon of armored vehicles across some complex terrain without a physical reconnaissance of the route. Predictably, I got lost. Good… Read More »
[June 16, 2017] Good leadership means letting people make mistakes and not holding it against them. My commander once allowed me to lead a convoy of 13 armored vehicles about 50 miles over rough wilderness terrain without a physical reconnaissance of the route. Predictably, I got lost. Good leadership also means seeing things for yourself. One of several… Read More »
[June 13, 2017] Learn the rules and play them better than anyone else; this is the embodiment of intelligent, powerful leadership. As children we learn quickly that it is best to play by the rules. Being accused of cheating or unfair play is a stinging rebuke for those who fail to do so. It comes as no surprise… Read More »
[June 12, 2017] One of the most important traits of any leader is their ability to set the example for how others should act and what to believe in. People look to leaders for inspiration and as a model for the right kind of behavior. Setting the example has always been the hallmark of leadership traits since the… Read More »
[June 11, 2017] Most people have a pretty good idea what leadership is about; they know it when they see it and know when it is missing or misused. Political leadership, despite what we’ve seen in the news, is not that different than leadership in any other institution. Some experts tell us that political leadership – as distinct… Read More »
[June 10, 2017] An older gentleman I met earlier this year asked me to look at a book of his dated 1944-1946. Upon opening it I was expecting to see journal entries about the war and occupation of Europe; those things that those men wrote who survived the crucible of combat, its exhilaration and its horror. What I… Read More »
[June 9, 2017] My grandmother was fond of telling me to “try new things;” otherwise I “would live to regret my life.” She was right and had put her mind onto something few think about and that is concerning risks as essential for those who successfully lead ourselves to do good things. One powerful trait appears in all… Read More »