[September 08, 2014] One of the many surprises that I encountered as a military flag officer was the number of senior civilians who were uneducated in their field. By uneducated I don’t mean they lacked a formal college degree but they had stopped their education in any meaningful way. They must have figured that all they needed was… Read More »
[September 05, 2014] Colin Powell is one of America’s most respected and esteemed public figures. He was one of the U.S. Army’s most senior generals and was also U.S. Secretary of State. Being successful at both is an admiral accomplishment. Choosing Colin Powell for this leadership profile was easy; writing about his leadership style was something more difficult.… Read More »
[September 04, 2014] Nothing is more important to humans when at work than the spoken word. It ensures good communication. When leaders talk, people listen and only by the speaking can a leader do those things required. The spoken word is like the oil that lubricates a machine; it allows the entire mechanism to function properly … like… Read More »
[September 02, 2014] There are few things more confusing in military debate circles than the concept of “battle hardened” troops. In most discussions about them people are saying how the battle-hardened troop is more effective at fighting, how they are calmer and composed in combat, and how they are courageous under fire. While there is some truth to… Read More »
[August 28, 2014] Telling me that there are “evil people” who may want to kidnap me as a child, my grandmother said to never talk to strangers. Likewise, I learned about a few “bad” things in the military. Despite me describing them as bad, if lessons come from them, then a positive outcome has been achieved. Here are… Read More »
[August 28, 2014] One of my first experiences and frustrations in leadership as a brand new U.S. Army second lieutenant was that my commander’s indecisiveness made the lives of his men difficult. Upon my arrival at the unit I got less than 5 minutes in his office for him to welcome me and to give me my assignment.… Read More »
[August 25, 2014] Being a leader means reading articles and books that can go against your upbringing and training; or challenging what you already think you know. The book reviewed today is about race and the failures of programs designed to help minorities in America, particularly African-Americans. It challenges our senior leaders to open a realistic dialogue and… Read More »
[August 23, 2014] Significant risks to “modern” senior leaders are not having all the best ideas on the table while making decisions and communicating strategy. This includes having all the relevant information available and the thinking behind the best ideas. Both the information and thinking needed is best achieved through encouraging open debate. Successful organizations, lead by some… Read More »
[August 20, 2014] A few months back in May, I wrote about the targeting of government leaders using “investigations” as a tool to divert them from doing their job (see links here and here). A few days ago a Texas grand jury indicted Texas Governor Rick Perry for threatening to veto and then vetoing an appropriation for the… Read More »
[August 15, 2014] One hundred years ago today, the Panama Canal was opened for traffic. We all know about the engineering effort to build the 51 mile long canal, the effort to eradicate diseases in the area, and the economic and military need to have it built. Long recognized as a shortcut between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans,… Read More »