The national cemetery at the United States Air Force Academy sits not too far from where I live. As Memorial Day weekend approaches, I was thinking about former comrades I know that now lie in rest there and elsewhere; individuals who paid the ultimate sacrifice while in service to their country.… Read More »Memorial Day Wishes
The Captain of the ship ruling with an iron fist, the Platoon Sergeant kicking his troops into action, the CEO yelling at and berating those who accomplish the company’s mission, Hollywood is not short of bad stereotypes when it comes to leadership. But in the real world, effective organizations rarely… Read More »“Because I said so, that’s why!” Leadership at its worst
I’m always on the lookout for examples, both good and bad, of leadership in action. In this example a lack of respect demonstrated bad leadership. I was checking out at the grocery store the other day and a clerk had just opened a new register. As I started unloading my basket… Read More »The Respect Paradox
I was thinking back to my very first duty station in the Air Force and dredged up some old memories of my first operational supervisor. Unfortunately, the memories are not fond ones and never fail to raise my blood pressure at least a few points. To put it succinctly, the… Read More »Frontline leaders make a difference – Help them be successful
There is no shortage of articles on the internet sharing various expert opinions about leadership. One thing I’ve learned as I spend time coaching individuals from our leadership courses is that there are plenty of smart people out there in the trenches who’ve learned a thing or two about leadership… Read More »Everyday Leaders, Extraordinary Insights
I was preparing to board an airplane not long ago and glanced at my boarding pass to see that I was in Group 1 for boarding. “Cool,†I thought, “I won’t have to fight for overhead bin space.†But then I heard the announcements begin for Executive Platinum Priority members,… Read More »This is my highest priority. THIS is my highest priority…and this…and this…
Employee engagement is certainly a hot topic in companies these days, having a direct effect as it does on organizational success, employee retention and the bottom line. Unfortunately, I still see and hear too many instances of employees “checking out†and disengaging from work. The most common thread I see?… Read More »Employee Engagement? Start with Leadership Engagement
With all of the new subscribers we’ve been picking up I thought it was a good time for a look back at a few of our most popular articles. Enjoy! Civilian or military, leadership rests on the same basics A good leader doesn’t have to bark orders to get good… Read More »Looking Back: Some of our most Popular Leadership Articles
Last summer I checked an item off my bucket list and took up the sport of powered paragliding. It’s a unique perspective from a couple hundred feet up, moving slowly across the landscape. I’ve seen coyotes lying in long grasses waiting for prey, jackrabbits actually forming small “herds” for mutual… Read More »Sharing the Vision, Do You See What You See?
This past week I was visiting my mother in central Illinois. While we were there, my wife and I drove Mom out to the cemetery to plant fresh flowers on Dad’s grave. Dad has been gone now for several years but not so long that the grave doesn’t seem new… Read More »Memorial Day, more than just a 3-day weekend