Attracting the Best People

By | July 26, 2015

[July 26, 2015] Attracting the best young folks to join the military has special challenges; it’s a dangerous job with long hours and below-average pay. Fortunately, military recruiters have been successful and I will share some of their secrets here. Elsewhere, an entire business sector has grown up around helping civilian organizations recruit the best people. I was… Read More »

Trial by Fire

By | July 25, 2015

[July 25, 2015] “Beware of leaders who’ve experience no hardships,” one of my dad’s old friends once advised me as I was entering military service. This Korean War veteran had learned about untested leaders the hard way during the United Nations’ retreat from the Chosin Reservoir in late 1950. Trial by fire is what we sometimes say when… Read More »

Operation Gomorrah 1943

By | July 24, 2015

[July 24, 2015] The study of the Torah and the Bible sheds light on the city of Gomorrah that received the divine judgment by God when it was consumed by “fire and brimstone” because “their sin is very grievous.”1 Operation Gomorrah, named for the Biblical story, was the World War II Allied codename for the firebombing of Hamburg,… Read More »

Leaders Saying the Right Thing

By | July 23, 2015

[July 23, 2015] Leaders know that personal relationships are more important than ever in today’s complex and uncertain world. That is why it’s crucial that leaders are saying the right thing to those around them and building close relationships in their professions. For those who’ve experienced combat or been through a disaster realize that you have to give… Read More »

Characteristic# 91: Having a Grand Vision

By | July 22, 2015

[July 22, 2015] Great leadership begins with a grand vision. Simply put, leadership is the ability to turn a vision into something. Having vision means identifying a clear goal for the future and ideally it’s also inspirational. The implication in the vision is that it’s realistic and that efforts to achieve it may mean doing things differently such… Read More »

Ethics: Telling the Truth

By | July 21, 2015

[July 21, 2015] There is an old Chinese short story about honesty and the rich gifts that telling the truth can bring upon us. Many of us, especially leaders, want success so badly that we can be enticed to lie … or perhaps just shade the truth a little. I’ve seen it done so many times by leaders… Read More »

Vision: The Eagle has Landed

By | July 20, 2015

[July 20, 2015] With my family and next-door neighbors gathered around our new color television set, we watched and listened in awe as Walter Cronkite announced the landing of the space module Eagle, manned by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, Jr. That Sunday afternoon, July 20, 1969, would be for me and hundreds of millions listening in,… Read More »

Good Habits #13: Be Conscientious and Timely

By | July 19, 2015

[July 19, 2015]  I’ve been very fortunate during my lifetime to have had many people around me that gave good advice and lucky for me I actually paid attention and followed their guidance … sometimes. Imagine if you will for just a moment an Army Drill Sergeant screaming in your face, “Private, you don’t do your job, you’re… Read More »