[May 9, 2020] Yesterday, I published Part 1 of this series on how senior leaders gain respect. It bears repeating, “It is not possible to force people to respect you.” Everyone seems to recognize that respect helps smooth the way toward getting the mission accomplished. Thus, the desire for respect will come as no surprise. “How do leaders… Read More »
[May 8, 2020] Let’s begin with an admission; it is not possible to force people to respect you. We all would like to be respected, so what does it take for leaders to gain respect? The reasons we “want” respect are irrelevant for our discussion here, but I do believe that desire is a distant, deep-seated psychological need.… Read More »
[May 6, 2020] I’ll be right upfront. Until last week, I’d never heard of the Flower Wars. The bias in my study of war has been colored by the classic predisposition to learn from European and Asian-centric warfare. Today, I’ll make up for this a bit by introducing Aztec warriors into my leadership blog. From the reconstruction of… Read More »
[May 3, 2020] For hundreds of thousands of years, flightless Dodo birds lived on the volcanic island of Mauritius. Without the threat of predators, the main competition for food was other Dodo birds. They thrived in that environment until Dutch sailors arrived in 1598. Within 80 years, these birds were extinct. The Dodo’s problem was isolation from the… Read More »
[April 30, 2020] “Boogie down” and “10-4, good buddy” are slang from the 70s and 80s. It sure is hard to forget them. There were four classic Vietnam War noir films from that era that also helped shape our culture, understanding of the war, and the American way of life. Drenched with atmosphere, suspense, and horror, these four… Read More »
[April 29, 2020] Senior leaders are experienced in resolving vague, uncertain, complex problems. Solving such issues will inevitably get supported or disagreement on its effectiveness, reliability, and appropriateness. When problems are highly complex, and there is time available, one way to overcome resistance is by socializing the new idea. One of the most significant decisions in the Iraq… Read More »
[April 27, 2020] Many years ago, a friend of mine, Bill Johnson, was finishing the U.S. Infantry Basic Officer Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. An armor Captain that had been a mentor to Bill for many months suggested that my friend ask for an assignment at Fort Polk, Louisiana, after graduation. The mentor was giving bad advice. Back… Read More »
[April 27, 2020] I’ve been around performance reviews long enough to understand they have value. Written by someone who outranks the person rated, the evaluation has both good and bad points. But, some evaluations are truly valuable. Those criticisms from subordinates will frequently contain the starkest surprises and bluntness. As such, feedback from subordinates can knock a leader… Read More »
[April 26, 2020] In late 1775, on a sunny afternoon in Kinderhook, New York, several young women had gathered for a quilting bee. Suddenly, their peace was interrupted by a man who dropped in and commenced to harangue “against the Continental Congress.”1 The quiltmakers had had enough, they stripped the young man naked to the waist and commenced… Read More »
[April 25, 2020] The U.S. Army is a large organization. A common expectation is that once you meet a soldier, you may never see them again. While that is true, those in your peer group can become close friends. One such Army Engineer Officer and I were on similar career paths as officers. He had a problem that… Read More »