[February 1, 2020] U.S. Air Force Lieutenant J.J. Johnson is a smart, insightful officer with an English college degree from Princeton University. I was headed to another meeting with senior officers when I passed his unassuming cubicle, where he sits for work as a Civil Engineer. Hanging on a string was a pad of paper with a pen… Read More »
[January 12, 2020] Over the past few decades, we’ve seen a continuous rise in the percentage of women holding leadership roles. The numbers aren’t equivalent to the number of men in leadership positions, but I believe that we will get there in the near future. So for all the fabulous women out there that are thinking about taking… Read More »
[January 4, 2020] Iranian General Qassem Soleimani has been killed in a targeted strike by the U.S. military. Good riddance! No matter who you are in the world, it cannot be denied that this man was evil and deserved to die. For those who are wishy-washy about the proactive U.S. attack, it would be best to study this… Read More »
[January 2, 2020] “It’s more than checking the box.” And so it began, my cohort of new general officers was beginning their journey of senior leadership with a fundamental truth. Only by learning to be courageous can we truly be genuine leaders of those on the battlefield. It is, therefore, our sacred duty to be involved in the… Read More »
Below are a composition of the Guest Bloggers that have contributed to www.theleadermaker.com. Please visit them and wish them well. Sadako Red Disclaimer: I chose the pen name Sadako Red in order to remove any notoriety reflecting on my other real job as a very senior executive in the Department of Defense. My opinion is my opinion only… Read More »
[December 28, 2019] For those new to my leadership blog, this ‘clearing the spindle’ on-going series is about ideas that I haven’t developed into articles. I wanted to provide a little bit of feedback to my readers on things that senior leaders are talking about – often among themselves – and highlight a few that seem to get… Read More »
[December 27, 2019] In December 1944, citizens all across the United States were holding their collective breath. The war in Europe was not over, but it seemed to be winding down. The allies were at ease, well a bit at easy anyway. It was winter, and Germany had not launched a winter military campaign since Frederick the Great… Read More »
[December 10, 2019] Why do soldiers fight? This age-old question is as valid yesterday as it is today. When I was young, I had the honor of being around recently-returning Korean War veterans. I would listen a great deal and hear them tell the tales of why they fought. This subject is in two parts. The first, today,… Read More »
[December 8, 2019] One dominant theme in the study of leadership is to prove oneself worthy of holding the mantle of responsibility. A successful leader is one who has built a reputation for accountability, trustworthiness, and sound judgment.1 How one does this is subject to debate. But when a leader is tested in the crucible of fire, there… Read More »
[December 6, 2019] Leaders have ambition. All types of leaders possess this trait; good, bad, or indifferent. I like to think about ambition like gasoline; it acts as an accelerant. Gasoline is used in vehicles to make them go, and we benefit, but gasoline can also cause highly destructive fires. If you are a leader, be prepared to… Read More »