[January 10, 2016] Success comes in many forms and is the result of good habits practiced daily. Leaders give credit where it’s due, accept feedback, are generous, and treat others fairly. But leaders should also look like a leader and that is not so easy. “People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” – John… Read More »
[November 17, 2016] Leaders are trained to be and experienced in being proactive; aggressively pursuing missions, tasks, and goals is expected and good. Inaction is shunned like Joan of Arc who was burned at the stake in 1431. Great leadership means patience and knowing when to employ the precise timing of rare, aggressive action. “Patience is not an… Read More »
[October 17, 2016] There’s an old saying in the U.S. Army that goes something like this … “If you pass a problem by, you just set a new standard … a lower standard.” As a military leader when a problem (or issue, or concern) is overlooked, the troops will notice and see that leadership expectations are not as… Read More »
[September 23, 2016] I was an enlisted man for 7 years in the U.S. Army before receiving my officer commission. One of my proudest moments was when I was promoted to the rank of Sergeant (E-5 pay grade). More commonly known as Buck Sergeant, I was fortunate to have plenty of mentors who gave me the basics on… Read More »
[August 25, 2016] As the Staff Sergeant walked in the new Afghanistan combat operations center in the heart of the Division headquarters, he saw plastered everywhere the printed words, ‘Who needs to know?” He was new to combat and so he asked the closest person working on the security staff what it meant. The sergeant was to discover… Read More »
[August 16, 2016] It’s been now a couple of months since I posted to my series on good habits for leaders. Not to diminish their necessity for a successful leader, but I’ve just not got around to it with so much on my social calendar. Today I deal with one of the more crucial daily habits that a… Read More »
[June 7, 2016] I remember that day well; one of my junior soldiers came to me to ask questions about how he should deal with a problem sergeant. With my mindset of not telling people how to do their job but rather just giving tasks, I failed this young man because I failed to consider his suggested ideas. … Read More »
[March 9, 2016] One of the concerns about being a military engineer is that we can be intellectually trapped by our education and experiences. Yet, there are great engineers who’ve escaped and produced amazing works. They did this by developing a daily habit of being open to new ideas. We all have marveled at those who designed and… Read More »
[February 13, 2016] Having worked with military and civilian engineers nearly all my life, I can attest to the fact that perfection is one of their most important goals. Getting any calculation wrong can mean the difference in project failure or success … and that means a lot. Once I finished my first year in combat with military… Read More »
[December 27, 2015] The habit of treating all people like you would like to be treated is an adage that goes back before recorded history. It is the basis for all religions and for successful customer service in any business enterprise. Good habits for leaders also means taking the Golden Rule further and treating people like they would… Read More »