[November 12, 2019] Lost but overlooking the inner German border wall, my platoon of Military Policemen was trying to reconnoiter a new laager site. Our mission had been to find an alternate location to put troops in case of a Soviet invasion from East Germany. Our Platoon Leader had good common sense, but in this case, he had… Read More »
[November 10, 2019] On a few occasions here at my leadership blog, I mentioned that as a young man, I had difficulty following orders. Several times, caring NCOs took me aside to provide me with the sage advice that good NCOs do with those in their care. ‘Get your act together’ was a common counseling point but the… Read More »
[November 7, 2019] The young man, called “Pat” by his friends, was sitting in the darkness of his apartment while he contemplated what he would do. Pat had a serious problem. No money, illegal drug use, and overweight, he had to do something that would pull him out of his spiral downward. Pat had a creative talent that… Read More »
[October 24, 2019] U.S. Army General. George S. Patton once noted, “If we take the generally accepted definition of bravery as a quality which knows no fear, I have never seen a brave man.” Patton clearly understood that fear can be a great motivator to succeed in battle. It can also be the greatest of all motivators. Fear… Read More »
[October 23, 2019] Leadership means educating people about things that make them wiser and more likable as an individual. One item is telling them something of utmost importance. If they believe they should be doing something – and are afraid to do it – then they should do it. That is one way to see if you are… Read More »
[October 22, 2019] Yesterday, while I was writing my article on the Anglo-Zulu War battle at Isandlwana, I thought about fear and how it affects us in different ways (link here). Knowing fear and how to control ourselves while under its influence, is a subject most leaders would like to avoid. For this reason and the fact that… Read More »
[October 20, 2019] Some time ago, when I was a very young teenager and working at a firework stand. I had some trouble getting all the different kinds of pyrotechnics on the stand properly and asked Mr. Mike Browder, the owner, to give me some help. His advice was simple and straightforward, “Doug” he said, “just do it.”… Read More »
[September 25, 2019] The U.S. presidential campaign by New York City mayor Bill de Blasio is over.1 Like so many leaders of World War I variety, the NYC mayor made little effort to be present in the Big Apple when he was needed most. Senior leadership is very difficult because the greatest challenge is being able to communicate… Read More »
[June 28, 2019] Growing up, I always knew my uncle was in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Named after my granddaddy Smith (married to Bigmama), “Junior” was a man of serious integrity, family-focused, and a person you could trust to help no matter what. Yesterday, I received his 1944 Bluejacket’s Manual; something I will forever keep… Read More »
[June 21, 2019] It had been a long day. The temperature was hovering around 120 degrees since about 10 am and the smell of garbage and filth permeated the air. As the afternoon sun bore down on our convoy, driving the temperatures up in our armored vehicles, we could see the glint of binoculars from the guard tower.… Read More »