[December 22, 2015] I worked for a commander in the recent past who could talk with absolute clarity about any complex subject. His orders were clear to avoid any confusion to avoid mistakes that could be costly. Of the many well-known senior U.S. Army officers, he was the best person that I’d ever known that could do this… Read More »
[December 21, 2015] In high school all my friends and I took every science course we could. We did this because we’d made up our minds that we were going to college and wanted to see what we liked most as a potential major. The chemistry teacher was the schools most likeable and that helped explain why many… Read More »
[December 20, 2015] The Republican debates have resulted in a number of unexpected consequences for the candidates and the party itself. For those interested in the study of senior leadership, the debates have given us food for thought on who possesses the traits necessary to hold the presidency and has provided some entertainment value along the way. Unlike… Read More »
[December 17, 2015] The obligations of leadership are significant and profound. It follows that no leader should take their duties lightly, whether in conduct of their professional obligations or in their personal affairs. Only by doing so, with such moral and ethical traits, can leaders prove themselves always, every day, to their followers’ To be successful, leaders must… Read More »
[December 16, 2015] As military truisms go, this saying has been around since before recorded history. To underestimate your enemy often led directly to your death and to a Darwinian winnowing of leaders. In the business world, a related axiom is that you should never underestimate your competition. When senior leaders underestimate the enemy, people suffer – massacres,… Read More »
[December 14, 2015] A recurrent theme here in theLeaderMaker.com blog is that those people with resilient personalities are more likely to be successful and productive members of society. There are additional benefits, like better mental and physical health, and that’s why leaders are look for ways to encourage resilience in others. However, there has been pushback on the… Read More »
[December 12, 2015] Alexander the Great, Alexander III of Macedon, will always be included in a short list of the greatest leaders of all time. Best known for the spread of his empire from Gibraltar to the Punjab, he also founded more than 70 cities, broadened trade and Greek culture,1 and spread a cultural diffusion throughout his conquests.2… Read More »
[December 11, 2015] Strong leaders have the capability to rally people to a great cause, inspire others, and lead them to achieve something no one else is able to do. Strong leaders can be controversial, divisive, and even a bit of a rebel … but they have clarity in their bold vision and are pragmatic in their goals.… Read More »
[December 10, 2015] Being a senior military officer comes with a number of challenges to the profession to include bearing responsibility for the lives and well-being of many troops who serve within the military. Yet, not unlike their civilian counterparts, military officers have difficulty admitting things that, if they did, could make them better leaders. Several friends of… Read More »
[December 9, 2015] General George S. Patton was one of America’s greatest generals and there is hardly a person alive today who has not heard of him and his exploits during World War II. But that’s only part of the story. Patton surrounded himself with some of the best minds in operational warfare and allowed them to do… Read More »