Do you enjoy the sudden rush from having a new idea? Do your toes curl with excitement when you see new possibilities? Does your heart pound at the emergence of a new insight? So what? What do you do with the energy? It has to go someplace or it will quickly dissipate. Don’t get left […]
Month: September 2008
World Class Training: the After Action Review
There are many reasons why the US Army has developed such an excellent reputation as a training organization over the years. Excellent equipment, superb training areas, master trainers in the form of non-commissioned officers who have perfected their expertise in task training under all conditions. Success also comes from the knowledge that Army training may […]
5 Essential Qualities For Effective Managers
What does it take to manage a diverse group of creative individuals? An extensive review of management literature produces the following list of management qualities that are essential if you want to build and leverage high performance teams. Without these skills you run the risk of losing your most valuable business asset: the knowledge and energy […]
A Bailout Alternative
Let investment banks go bankrupt, and their assets should be auctioned by the government as if they were people that had died intestate. Proceeds of the estate sale should go intot the general fund to be applied against the national debt The government should act as a caretaker to continue to receive current mortgage payments […]
Reflections on TRADOC Pam 525-5-500: Commander’s Appreciation & Campaign Design (CACD)
Research Question: What is the theoretical basis for the US Army’s proposed modification to the Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) and what are the issues of concern for practitioners of the art of military decision making? Introduction and background: The United States Army’s Military Decision-Making Process stands the test of time as a method […]
Reflections on competing theories of leadership
Any survey of leadership theory will acquaint you with concepts like: leadership traits, leadership behaviors, transactional leadership styles, transformational leadership styles and organizational culture. The interplay of these different schools of thought offer a rich source of insight into human behavior organizational performance. Here are some notes to get you started down this path from one […]
Reflections on strategic thinking, critical thinking and critical reading
I just reviewed an excellent paper by MAJ David S. Johnston, Ph.D. entitled “Reading, Writing and Strategic Thinking: Service Schools Fail to Develop Critical Reading Skills of Rising Leaders”. (paper available upon request) Just as there are many forms of writing that our officers will perform in their career, so too are there forms […]
President Henry Paulson: our newest oligarch
Right now the most powerful man in the world is the Sec. of the treasury, Henry Paulson, former CEO of Goldman Sachs. At any given time in Washington, depending on the nature of the current political crisis that has everyone’s attention, one man can be said to be the real president of the United States. […]
Finding the Hidden Power in Words
From an email that has been widely circulating the Internet: “The following is the 2007 winning entry from an annual contest at Texas A&M University calling for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term. This year’s term was ‘ Political Correctness ‘. The winner wrote: ‘Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical […]
7 ways to improve creativity at work
Guidelines for stimulating creativity abound in both popular literature and emerging scientific research. here are 7 rules of thumb that seem to be applicable to a wide variety of business settings and across many cultures: 1. Have curiosity and interest in your surroundings: take time to notice what’s going on around you. Schedule time if […]