[September 09, 2014] Tomorrow the U.S. President is set to announce a strategy on dealing with the security threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). In part 1 of this short series on grand strategy, I noted that it’s a great time to be a student of leadership because we will be able to actually… Read More »
[September 08, 2014] It’s a great time to be a student of senior leadership. With so much in the world happening and with the finest forms of media, it is now possible to “see” into the internal workings of senior leaders. True, we do not know the details or the secrets – those things that should not be… Read More »
[September 07, 2014] In April 1918 near Paris, the German Army commander failed to recognize the important contributions a small number of U.S. Marines entering the fight would have on the outcome. The Marines were inexperienced and had not proven themselves a significant battlefield force since their arrival a few months prior to the fight at Belleau Woods.… Read More »
[August 30, 2014] In the study of senior leader roles, it is always informative to look at current leaders that are playing either a big or expanding role in world affairs. That is the case today with Russian President Vladimir Putin – his leadership style being more bold than most. He told a group at a youth camp… Read More »
[August 25, 2014] Every once in a while I come across a person’s firsthand account of North Korea (link here). The author is witty but informative. There is some good information to be had from reading the entire blog entry. In particular I liked the focus of the discussion on how big a deal the leadership of the… 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 21, 2014] Anyone spending time in front of the camera of the press knows that the skills needed to come across as credible are different. Likewise in a print media interview, what you know about your job is often less important than your ability to project a well-informed, shrewd, and practical understanding of the subject … and,… Read More »
[August 20, 2014] Mel and Tim were an American soul music duo and one of my favorite singing groups back in my early college years – the 1970s. They were best known for the song “Backfield in Motion” but they sang another song that I listened to and most people have heard. Mel and Tim sang “It’s the… Read More »
[August 08, 2014] A good friend and military veteran passed along a book reference he thought I might like. Most of the books on senior leaders I’ve read or at least heard about but this one somehow got pass me. The book by Edgar Puryear is about four famous generals: Eisenhower, Bradley, Marshall, and Patton. I have not… Read More »
[August 06, 2014] The demands made on military commanders are awesome; yet little is provided in the way of guidance. Commanders that make rapid, sound decisions are highly valued and promoted quickly to higher levels of responsibility. The problem is that decisions made rapidly often encounter resistance in application. Regardless whether the decision is the best or not, how… Read More »