[December 9, 2018] There will always be unintended consequences in what we do; even in the most righteous and just behaviors. American colleges and universities have taken great strides over the past few decades to be welcoming and committed to justice for all. Yet, in their zeal to correct wrongs, they themselves have deviated from their traditional mission… Read More »
[December 8, 2018] As a young boy, I often heard the story of Sun Tzu and the King’s concubines. I remember it well, much like the dirtier Canterbury Tales, and for a similar reason; it involved pretty women and sex … or maybe not. Sun Tzu was a Chinese general who is thought to have lived between 722… Read More »
[December 6, 2018] It was 5am on a snowy January in southwestern Germany’s Black Forrest, many decades ago when I first encountered Sergeant “Bad Boy Mac” McCracken. McCracken was known for his hot temper and miserable demeanor. It took me only a few minutes to witness his bad attitude and the impact was to be significant. I received… Read More »
[December 5, 2018] About a year after the U.S. invasion of Panama, my engineer unit was sent into country to rebuild some destroyed structures and road networks. When we arrived there was an Engineer Captain who had been on site since the invasion. We were warned that he was going native and that we should be careful when… Read More »
[December 4, 2018] The U.S. Civil War was the product of a divided nation resulting from an attempt by southern states to break from the union. Weighing their personal beliefs, citizens had to choose which side they threw their support to; the Union or the Confederacy. John C. Breckinridge was one of these men who would come away… Read More »
[December 3, 2018] About ten years ago, a little-known book made a splash in business management circles. The reason, I believe, was because the book’s theme was that managers must learn to be leaders if they plan on getting anything of value accomplished. Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles wrote the book titled, “Gung Ho! Turn on the People… Read More »
[November 30, 2018] One of my jobs as a 14-year old teenager, and where I learned many lessons, was taking out the trash at a local restaurant. David Hackworth once said that “It’s human nature to start taking things for granted when danger isn’t banging loudly on the door.” That’s exactly the way it was one day when… Read More »
[November 29, 2018] Like many of my generation, I grew up hearing the phrase, ‘You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!’ It comes from the 1890 poem by Rudyard Kipling; written from the point of view of an English soldier in India. Understanding the poem means the reader has learned that the character of a person… Read More »
[November 28, 2018] Many years ago I was writing one of my first evaluations of a junior officer. Before I started, my boss gave me some advice; “Don’t use words that are overtly critical. Use ‘bland’ language. We will know what it means.” In other words, in the military we use coded language that says one thing but… Read More »
[November 27, 2018] I hate hats.1 I hate wearing them, keeping them looking good, and I hate the way they fit on my head. If it’s raining, I use an umbrella or hood on my coat to keep the rain off my head. But, over time I’ve come to realize that hats also define my leadership. By that… Read More »