[April 28, 2021] One hundred-one years ago, in April 1910, Theodore Roosevelt spoke about citizenry in a Republic. His speech in Sorbonne Paris is popularly known as ‘The Man in the Arena.‘ An oft-repeated theme of my leadership blog deals with individual responsibility, and Roosevelt won great acclaim for his emphasis on personal duty and accountability. If anything,… Read More »
[January 15, 2021] Leaders around the world are starting to speak out in condemnation of Twitter’s censorship of U.S. President Trump and others they don’t agree with politically.1 This backlash is about Twitter trampling on fundamental democratic freedoms. The leadership of Twitter has repeatedly stated that their censorship goals are only about safety and are not biased in… Read More »
[October 16, 2020] Abolitionist John Brown raided the Federal Armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) on this date, October 16, 1859. A company of U. S. Marines, led by Colonel Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant J. E. B. Stuart, overran Brown and his followers. Brown was convicted of treason on November 2, 1859, and hanged on… Read More »
[September 7, 2020] You’ve probably been told that Labor Day in the United States is a unique tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of America. And, yes, that is true. But another perspective says that it’s also about hard work and family. We should ask ourselves why. Why is it that… 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 »
[December 2, 2019] I’ve been sitting on a few ideas lately that haven’t developed into full articles but I wanted to put them out for feedback. I’m focusing today on leadership that falls short of commonsense and, well, some folks just call those failures by the slang term “screw-ups.” The Girl Scouts of America remind us why they… Read More »
[October 17, 2019] Discussion of the importance of character can be found in ancient texts, intertwined with the fog of ancient history. Unsurprisingly, character can be found in the modern, high-speed technological prowess we experience today. Hard work, self-sacrifice, positive attitude, and good judgment are just a few character traits that place the most admired citizen on the… Read More »
[March 13, 2018] Showing moral courage in the face of great adversity is a much more difficult act than showing physical courage in combat. Many combat leaders are known for their bravery in the face of a deadly enemy but wilt when their nerves fail under the spotlight that threatens what they believe. Today, I’m highlighting Nick Sandmann… Read More »
[December 10, 2018] There’s an old piece of leadership advice – one that I’m unsure the origin – that goes something like this; true leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders. Good advice. A mentor of mine told me that only one thing determines whether or not you’re a true leader; the opinion of those folks you’re… Read More »
[February 6, 2018] It has been said many times that war is simply a continuation of politics by other means. Actually the Prussian theorist Carl von Clausewitz wrote it in his book On War (1832) and is one of the most important treatises on political-military analysis and strategy ever written. Clausewitz, like so many other theorists closely links war,… Read More »