Over the course of my military career, I learned early on that uncertainty was part of the fundamentals of strategic planning. The prominent military theorist Carl von Clausewitz described it this way: “No campaign plan survives first contact with the enemy.” Conditions shifted. Sometimes the ground literally shook beneath our feet. But what stands … Read more
The Question Leaders Keep Asking: “Why does this feel so much harder to navigate than disagreements used to?” I hear this all the time. It’s not that we suddenly discovered disagreement—we’ve disagreed, sometimes fiercely, through every chapter of our national story. But something has changed. The disagreements feel sharper. The emotional temperature is higher. And … Read more
Why Trust Has Become Today’s Leadership Imperative The Trust Problem Nobody Wants to Talk About Something fundamental has shifted in how people relate to authority, to information, and to each other. Trust—the foundation of every high-performing team I’ve ever led or studied—has become fragile. And in many organizations, it’s broken entirely. This didn’t happen overnight. … Read more
Tactical patience is necessary for today’s turbulent times. Volatility is no longer the exception — it’s the operating system in which we need to lead. Disruptive technologies, shifting markets, and complex stakeholder demands often leave leaders with more questions than answers. Traditional approaches, rooted in certainty and playbooks, fall short when the rules themselves are … Read more
“We’re losing social skills, the human interaction skills, how to read a person’s mood, to read their body language, how to be patient until the moment is right to make or press a point. Too much exclusive use of electronic information dehumanizes what is a very, very important part of community life and living together.” … Read more
“Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?” – Marcus Aurelius This is part of my ongoing series of blogs about Emotional Intelligence (EQ). The fourth component of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is Empathy. The … Read more
