[August 28, 2019] It was 56 years ago today, August 28, 1963, when Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous and inspiring ‘I Have a Dream’ speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Most of us believe the importance of his speech centered on removing racial segregation and discrimination against blacks in America. MLK’s speech was much… Read More »
[August 27, 2019] One of the easiest ways to learn how to be a better leader is to study how ‘not’ to be a leader. Great leaders are those who bring people together for a good cause and unite, uplift, and focus our lives. U.S. presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts shows us how not to do this… Read More »
[August 26, 2019] If you want to debate the definition of leadership, ask any two Army Lieutenant to tell you what they think. Usually, an argument will ensue between them regarding what makes up a successful leader. There are a few things; however, they might agree upon – metrics of success. Some folks will argue that the whole… Read More »
[August 25, 2019] In my pre-teen days, a small group of friends and I worked stocking shelves in a local Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store. Billy was my best buddy and he was the “boss.” But we never saw the real boss; the store manager. The manager was the ghost leader; a name that employees had given him. “When… Read More »
[August 23, 2019] I was in for a shock. I’d just taken over battalion command in the U.S. Army and thought that I had reached the pinnacle of my career and that I was thus finished with working hard to get ahead. Wow, was I wrong. My boss, the brigade commander, had a few “suggestions” for us; in… Read More »
[August 22, 2019] The mythic traditions of our ancestors continue to reverberate in our society today. The classic hero is the knight that kills the dragon, rescues the maiden, and lives happily ever after. The idea that the hero slays the dragon is symbolic of what all humans’ value; to be free from the destructive chaos of the… Read More »
[August 21, 2019] It was a suggestion from my daughter that I write another article about what happens when leaders lie. Like me, she too is keenly conscious of leaders who lie. She said something recently that reminded me of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. “By a lie, a man… annihilates his dignity as a man” – Immanuel… Read More »
[August 20, 2019] We were told to be on the lookout for the Soviet-built ZSU-23-4 Shilka anti-aircraft gun. In previous training exercises, the imitation ZSU had shot down several U.S. attack helicopters. We were missing the obvious battlefield threat of armored infantry and paid a heavy price in another scenario at the Fort Irwin simulated battlefield. In 1999… Read More »
[August 19, 2019] A few years ago, I wrote an article about the U.S. Congressional leadership authorizing attacks on British vessels in 1776. That strategic decision helped win the War of Independence. Later, with the U.S. Naval Act of 1794, Congress authorized the building of six frigates; one of the six built was named the USS Constitution. It… Read More »
[August 18, 2019] If you want to be a better leader, learn what motivates people by studying their code of conduct. Formal or informal, rules that spell-out how people should act are an invaluable window into their lives. A few days ago, while visiting the house of a friend; we got to talking about Genghis Khan, the fierce… Read More »