[October 20, 2013] Every decision that leaders make involves some level of bias. The problem is not that there is bias, a natural function, but that some biases in decision-making and employee affairs can lead to an incorrect judgment, unfounded conclusions, and uncertainty. Senior leaders are interested in both mission accomplishment and taking care of their employees. Therefore,… Read More »
[October 19, 2013] Humility is defined several ways. However, the meanings used today lead to confusion, especially when employed to describe a leader. First, it can mean lack of confidence or timidity. Or second, it can mean to be humble, lacking pretence, not believing you are superior to others. In some cultures, the language separates the meanings but… Read More »
[October 18, 2013] The photograph is of the crew of the Boeing B-17 “The Memphis Belle.” During WWII, lead by Captain Robert Morgan, the crew flew 29 missions altogether, 25 in this aircraft. I was fortunate to meet retired Colonel Robert Morgan nearly two decades ago and to hear of the exploits of his crew and the combat… Read More »
[October 17, 2013] Unpredictable major events, good or bad, that have a major effect on people, organizations, or society are often justified as destiny after their occurrence. While we cannot predict such events, we can certainly put into place mechanisms that prepare us better to take advantage of them. Taleb called these events “Black Swans.”1 The Honorable Donald… Read More »
[October 16, 2013] Today’s business environment is changing. Companies are struggling to meet the challenges and the opportunities of a communications-centric business environment. This means that the way organizations are lead must keep pace, in part, by retaining their best employees. So, how do we keep the best, first-rate employees? It is common knowledge that keeping any employee… Read More »
[October 15, 2013] As senior executive leaders, it is important that we deal with surprises appropriately. At the executive level we are fond of saying we don’t like surprises, simply because surprises tend to be very large and very bad. How senior leaders deal with a surprise can determine success or failure in our organizations. “What you see is… Read More »
[October 14, 2013] Choosing a famous leader for these profiles has been relatively easy. The Vince Lombardi selection today was not only easy, he is the person I quote most on leadership and have the most affinity toward. “Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of… Read More »
[October 13, 2013] Today I’m adding more books that I found especially interesting: Rumsfeld’s Rules: Leadership Lessons in Business, Politics, War, and Life by Donald Rumsfeld Donald Rumsfeld is controversial writer and figure in U.S. politics, war, and business. In this book, Rumsfeld captures his rules, gathered over his lifetime. There are many pearls of wisdom for us. … Read More »
[October 12, 2013] It is certainly no surprise that we Americans today are not happy with our federal government. Our dissatisfaction has reached a record-breaking low point. Consider how dissatisfied we are in the following sampling of survey results: 18% are satisfied with the way the nation is being governed1 60% say fire every single member of Congress2 … Read More »
[October 11, 2013] To discuss core values, the Boy Scouts of American (BSA) is a classic. The BSA is universally seen as an organization that instills moral character into young boys. The cause is noble and it has been successful beyond what people thought possible. The BSA was inspired by and modeled on the Boy Scout Association, established… Read More »