Overcoming the boundaries between the military community and society requires a deliberate effort to open our world. It is tempting to stay on our military bases, live in military communities and only talk to those we know. For the curators of The General Leadership Foundation, it is our mission to bring the experiences, principles and stories amassed through war and military life to the public. On the other side of this motivation, we want to learn from you, to garner your leadership principles and lessons from the non-military world. It is our belief leadership is a universal skill-set…and is defined by results, not attributes.… Read the rest
Lead Like a Rich Person!
Do you lead like a rich person?
–Or—
Do you lead like a poor person?
An Afghan Air Force General asked recently through his translator…
Do you lead like a rich person or a poor person?
My western mind immediately wandered to visions of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs and tried to compare their leadership styles with that of members of lower income brackets. No connection could be made. The leadership of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs alone are polar opposites, much less trying to compare them to other leaders. I was baffled by this query.… Read the rest
GeneralLeadership.com Growth Plan
It is the responsibility of every employee to report back to his or her supervisors what they have learned and allow the organization to benefit from that experience. As military members, we work for the American taxpayer. It is our responsibility to generously share our lessons-learned and maximize opportunities to create mutually beneficial conversations.
We created The General Leadership Foundation to facilitate connection between you and America’s most trusted leaders in order to promote growth and learning. We believe leadership is a choice, experience promotes growth and our individual example is the most powerful tool we possess to influence positive change.… Read the rest
Dynamic Leadership: Don’t be a Humvee Leader
Too often, leaders choose to be “Humvee leaders.” They are so worried about quickly making progress that no regard is given to intent, probability of success or the hazards encountered along the way. This style of leader typically has little regard for the destruction they leave in their path or the people they harm along the journey.
Today, I witnessed a convoy traveling down an Afghan road. From the opposite direction, two Humvees from another nation sped by at 5-times the speed limit. The vehicles left a dust storm in their wake which forced the opposing convoy team to a standstill, unable to see their objective or continue their progress.… Read the rest
Positive Change: Yesterday Is Interesting But Irrelevant
Yesterday is interesting but irrelevant. This simple phrase defines a strategy to spark exponential growth and efficiency in any organization. For me, it was the opening line of my first speech as a new Air Force Fighter Squadron commander. It encompasses a mentality of limitless positive change and endless possibility.
Too many times in our lives, we do things solely because ‘it is the way it has always been.’ We are subconsciously desensitized to inefficiencies surrounding us in all aspects of our lives, both professional and personal. Next time you do something, ask yourself why you do it the way you do.… Read the rest
Recent Comments from Readers and Authors