[May 09, 2015] Many years ago I learned a valuable lesson on improving clarity. As a graduate student I was responsible for teaching several classes. One day I asked my class a question, and wanting to encourage anonymity I directed them to write their answer on a scrap of paper and on the folded outside to write “male… Read More »
[May 08, 2015] “Just keep me informed so that I’m not surprised,” so said my commander during the early days in the Iraq War when our troops were in a running gun battle with insurgents. When it comes to bad news, I have found that keeping your boss informed of potential and actual bad news is important because… Read More »
[May 07, 2015] The good thing about educating ourselves on central events in history is that we can learn valuable lessons and not repeat those mistakes. It is important for leaders to learn about the Nazi Dachau Concentration Camp and its liberation in 1945; 70 years ago. It is also important that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was present… Read More »
[May 06, 2015] Our Drill Sergeants in Basic Combat Training took sadistic pleasure in screaming at us raw recruits … at least it seemed that way. After a long march or any similar difficult task they would say to us, “time for a gut check.” In other words, they wanted to know if we had the intestinal fortitude… Read More »
[May 05, 2015] A close friend of mine – intelligent and trustworthy – resigned as a commissioned officer in U.S. Army after being told he would never advance in rank. The reason was simple; he did not promote and was incapable of effective teamwork. It was a sad day for all of us Platoon Leaders (lieutenants in the… Read More »
[May 03, 2015] The famous Vince Lombardi once said that “winners never quit and quitters never win.” While there is hardly a more well-known quote about sports, we find that it’s the development of sportsmanship and teamwork that are the real successes behind any winning game. Yet for children, their development is much more precarious than for us… Read More »
[May 02, 2015] The greatness of Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, is difficult to imagine for those of us who live in a relatively safe, modern world. Charlemagne was both a King and a military leader; roles that we rarely see held simultaneously today. Yet Charlemagne did so and was loved by his people. Born sometime… Read More »
[May 01, 2015] Experienced leaders don’t believe that history repeats itself, but there are certainly many parallels throughout the known past that makes it seem that way. The best leaders educate themselves on history relevant to their circumstances and proactively take precautions to avoid similar mistakes. Today, we see a number of political failures and missteps in America’s… Read More »
[April 29, 2015] Growing up in rural Louisiana, my grandmother often told me to “put your brain in gear” … and she was one smart woman, as grandmothers are known to be. What she was trying to do was to get me to think and to be engaged in what was happening around me; I call it intellectual… Read More »
[April 28, 2015] Some of the more encouraging stories coming out of Nepal are the many ordinary folks working feverishly to rescue those trapped by the damage of the recent Nepal earthquake. Death and destruction are extensive, danger of aftershocks and more threats to life are very real, but people are stepping up to help. Those brave folks… Read More »