Over a decade of war has changed the fabric of the U.S. armed forces. Short mobilization cycles and changing theater tactics necessitated the development of a learning culture within the organizations. This learning culture, however, is fundamentally NOT the culture that has sustained our premier forces throughout our history. As the armed forces move into a garrison environment and resources...
Pliny the Younger. They affirmed, however, the whole of their guilt, or their error, was, that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust...
I decided long ago . . . to define my own destiny and refuse to have it defined for me. I fully understand that trying hard doesn’t always guarantee success. Success is often a fluky thing, dependent as much on luck and favor as on hard work. But while hard work may not guarantee success, not working hard almost always guarantees failure. Trying hard and working hard is its own reward. It...
My kind of cooking involves heavy tools. Give me a chainsaw, axe, and wood splitter and I’m ready to cook. My good friend Joel Smith suggested I try a trash can turkey. A quick search of the internet and I found all I needed to know… this method involved a metal trash can, sledge hammer, shovel, and wooden stake. Immediately hooked, I convinced my mother (convinced is way...
“I didn’t join to be honored, I was just honored to serve” Staff Sergeant Clint Rutherford, two time Purple Heart recipient speaking at his retirement
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The art and science of influencing others to willingly follow you.
Leadership is more than influence. Influence without will leads to things being partially completed or poorly complete leading to even more problems. The real challenge of a leader is to inspire people to want to accomplish goals.
Inspire.
I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise that control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but inform their discretion. Thomas Jefferson (quoted in The Making of The Atomic Bomb – Richard Rhoades)
In the exercise of leadership, leaders must skillfully balance the art of influence and the science of control to accomplish targeted goals. Too much control and subordinates become task driven, lose the will to exercise initiative, and constantly look to the leader for further instructions. On the other hand, influence without control builds highly motivated teams that lack cohesive focus...
In Exodus 18, Jethro counseled his son-in-law Moses about how he was leading Israel after they fled Egypt. But there is more depth to the story if you consider the rest of Jethro’s story: Jethro descended from Abraham by Keturah He was also called Reuel and possibly Hobab Is claimed by Islam as a revered prophet and a central figure in the Druze religion. According to Rabbinic literary...