[August 21, 2025] Game 7 of the Baseball World Series was the first ball game I ever watched on television. My family did not own a television set at the time, so I watched the October 1962 game from the home of a good friend.
It was something new for me, but what I remember most about the game is the Yankees manager Ralph Houk’s animated behavior from the dugout. Kids are good at picking up on small things, as my friend and I did, and the lesson for us was that leadership is contagious.
Today, military leaders are taught early in their careers that leadership is contagious—good, bad, or indifferent leadership. Bad leadership spawns bad leaders down the line in an organization. Good leadership means great teamwork, increased productivity and performance, improved morale, and greater worker satisfaction—nearly all indicators of measurable organizational success.
The effect of senior leadership on junior leaders is profound. A recent Harvard Business Review article references a study that concluded that a “bad boss” can make you a bad boss, too.
Whether a leader is a national leader of millions of citizens or leads a small team of little league baseball players, the fundamentals of leadership remain essentially unchanged. The lesson that what leaders do is infectious, resonates throughout an organization is well documented.
When leaders are unethical and irresponsible, the team is often dishonest and irresponsible … and when leaders are good and daring, the team is good and daring. That is why we say that leaders have the moral responsibility to do the right things, because what they do and how they do it will spread to those who follow them.
The New York Yankees won the game against the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park. Houk was known as a “player’s manager” because he was an excellent handler of men. The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame described him as “rough, blunt, and decisive,” and his tantrums in arguments with umpires earned him 45 ejections as a manager in the majors.2
New to the Yankee team, the men quickly responded to Houk’s leadership; his leadership style was contagious that winning year of 1962.
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Please read my books:
“The New York Yankees won the game against the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park. Houk was known as a “player’s manager” because he was an excellent handler of men. The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame described him as “rough, blunt, and decisive,” and his tantrums in arguments with umpires earned him 45 ejections as a manager in the majors.” — Gen. Doug Satterfield is over the target and bombing the crap out of it. I love baseball and so does Gen. Satterfield. ⚾️ ⚾️ ⚾️ ⚾️ ⚾️
A “player’s manager” like a “General’s soldier” is what makes those closest to those getting the job done, do so with the utmost respect and are always the most liked and followed.
Yes, as many have pointed out here, this is a reboot of the original-style article that Gen. Satterfield used to write …. the basics. I love the basics. They tell us about the foundation of leadership and “being a good person.” That is good especially for the newbie readers. A few more of these and I’ll have another great week.
CLASSIC POST FROM GEN. SATTERFIELD
Sweeney, yep and that is not a throwback as much as a need to reinforce key lessons. Like the Bible that tells us stories of the human condition, good and bad, we need to be reminded that we are not perfect and be humble (as we know our own limitations).
SWEENEY, the man with few words but hits the bullseye everytime.
The Bible is genius!
Of course, anyone with a brain cell can see that Joe Biden and his Democrat Party are fully corrupt. As we can see here from “Daily Favorites” on this website (today), “Environmental Protection Agency Director Lee Zeldin told Miranda Devine, during an interview on her “Pod Force One” podcast, that $20 billion was laundered through a network of “pass-through” NGOs from the “Inflation Reduction Act” to groups controlled by former Obama and Biden administration officials.”
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/08/20/director_zeldin_obama_biden_officials_used_epa_to_launder_20_billion_in_clear_corruption.html
I learned what happens when you have a bad (or use any adverb that describes a terrible, toxic leader). Take a look at how awful Pres. Biden was as in highly corrupt and senile. His “advisors” and family were ripping off the American taxpayer. And what was done about it? Nothing. And that’s what is really scary.
👀 Hi Jonnie, haven’t heard from you in a long time. 👀
Welcome back and, yes, I agree taht slow-Joe Biden was terrible. But there is another and more sinister lesson here and that is whenever one comes across bad leadership, then speak up. That effort might not be rewarded, maybe even punished, but you have made the proper and moral choice and you can live with yourself for being brave when necessary.
Yes, indeed, welcome back. Oh, I do think we can all,agree by now that Joe Biden was the worst and most corrupt president that America has ever had. The contrast between him and Donald Trump is night and day. Go TRUMP.
Oldie but goodie. This is a theme that Gen. Satterfield has written about – over the years – that how we behave as a leader ultimately is infectious to those around us. Be sure to get a copy of his “55 Rules for a Good Life.” You can’t go wrong with that small book and at a great price. In fact, you should buy several and give them away. Just me making a great recommendation.
https://www.amazon.com/55-Rules-Good-Life-Responsibility/dp/1737915529/