As another year draws to a close, many people begin to consider New Year’s Resolutions. Please Don’t! Resolutions are certainly a noble idea, but are often forgotten a few months into the new year. You will be a more effective leader if you use this time to seriously consider a… Read More »Eight Steps for a Successful Next Year
Have you ever considered what your vision is for your team? Here’s how to define the leader’s vision.
Have you ever heard, “That person has no values”? What that usually means is, “That person’s values are so different from mine that I don’t recognize them.”
“Sure, I know where we’re going, follow me.†As you set off for the restaurant with friends in tow, you are filled with confidence. But after a couple of wrong turns things aren’t looking familiar and it occurs to you that you really don’t know where you are going. Embarrassing?… Read More »â€œFollow me!†Are you ready to say this?
The air around us was orange. That was pretty common after a dust storm as a fine powder of sand hung in the air. Through the orange haze, I could see the mechanics going through their morning inspections of the rescue helicopters that sat on alert, ready to rapidly respond… Read More »The Mission: That Others May Live
I had been a commander of a flying training squadron for a few months. One Monday morning I was getting ready to go into work when the phone rang. I put the phone to my ear and heard, “Where are you?†Have you ever had one of those moments when… Read More »What do you do when you fall short as a leader? (Pictograph)
In my free time I enjoy powered paragliding. I have a unique perspective while moving slowly across the landscape from a couple hundred feet up that is quite illuminating. I’ve seen coyotes lying in long grasses waiting for prey, jackrabbits actually forming small “herds†for mutual protection, how antelope seem… Read More »Do They See What You See? Great Leaders Share the Vision
Early in my military career I was taught that a unit will take on the characteristics of its leader. A sloppy unit will likely have an unkempt leader at its helm. A unit known for “bending the rules†will most likely be led by a person of questionable ethics. Why… Read More »The Unintentional Leader
The sand suspended in the air was worse than usual. A recent sandstorm had made the air almost opaque and I could only see for a few feet. I could barely see the 26 airplanes parked in front of me, or the approximately 200 mechanics who were working to get them ready to fly. (The picture was taken in the daytime) As I walked towards where I knew the planes were, I could begin to make out their shapes, and see the outline of the troops scurrying about. Within the next hour or so, at least 20 of those airplanes would be airborne.
The airplanes were C-130 transports many of which were more than 40 years old. They had spent their years in hard use, carrying heavy loads around the world often landing in barely improved dirt strips. They were old, tired airplanes. But because of the mechanics that toiled day and night to keep them mission ready, they could still do the job.
Those mechanics worked in conditions that were uncomfortable at best. Read More »Heat, Wind, Sand, and A Critical Mission
