Merry Christmas!

By | December 25, 2015

[December 25, 2015]  Merry Christmas to everyone from me and all my family.  One of the most popular holy days on the Christian calendar, Christmas honors the birth of Jesus.  Rarely does even the most difficult days of our lives prevent the dedicated from setting aside time to honor Him.  My uncle was part of the Battle of… Read More »

Leaders are Prepared … are You?

By | December 24, 2015

[December 24, 2015]  Today is Christmas Eve and a very special time for Christians around the world as one of the most significant cultural celebrations in Christendom.  My wife has made sure that we are fully prepared by starting her baking days beforehand.  Like her, leaders are prepared. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” –… Read More »

Cult Leadership

By | December 23, 2015

[December 23, 2015]  Appearing on the cover of LIFE Magazine on December 19, 1969, Charles Manson is the infamous cult leader of the “Family”.1  Cult leadership is frequently associated with megalomaniacs, crazies, and psychotic and narcissistic personalities.  The danger may be evident in the case of Charles Manson but I will argue that it is for more insidious… Read More »

Leadership and Likeability

By | December 21, 2015

[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 »

The Republican Debates and Leadership

By | December 20, 2015

[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 »

It Takes More Than Good Ideas …

By | December 19, 2015

[December 19, 2015]  … to be a great leader.  A commander of mine a few years ago often developed new ideas, many of which were rarely acted upon.  Innovative, creative, and intelligent leaders are rare and they play an important role, but it takes more than good ideas for a person to demonstrate great leadership that must be… Read More »

Great Leaders Thrive on Hard Challenges

By | December 18, 2015

[December 18, 2015]  As of this writing, there are several hot socio-political challenges – both nationally and internationally – that are worth a few words because they’ve put leaders under pressure to act correctly.  Many leaders are being opposed by a swell of public opinion and with a hint of constituents’ anger.1  Of those, the great leaders will… Read More »

Leaders Have to Prove Themselves … Always

By | December 17, 2015

[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 »

Never Underestimate Your Enemy

By | December 16, 2015

[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 »