Category
Inspiration
Last week during what was a wonderful visit from my parents, we enjoyed many adventures – Smithsonian, house hunting for our pending move, and general exploration which often included eating. Near the end of their stay we went out to… Continue Reading →
Last weekend was yet another one spent at the swimming pool. I must admit I enjoy weekends like that. My wife and I get to spend time talking with each other and the many other great people supporting those in… Continue Reading →
I have been a long believer that what we do as a profession and who we are as a person are two separate and distinct things. Sure we can make assumptions about who someone is based upon their chosen profession… Continue Reading →
CDR Andy Newsome is an Information Warfare Officer, and is passionate about helping others. Andy is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Naval War College and Naval Postgraduate School. He has served and led in various capacities inside and… Continue Reading →
I feel great! It’s been another wonderful week and I don’t know that I could be more content. I can’t tell you the specifics of everything I did, but I most certainly know how each experience made me feel. Don’t… Continue Reading →
I love flipping the script on others and I thoroughly enjoy it when others do the same for me. Those of you who follow this blog have noticed that I am experimenting with a “Question of the Day” each weekday…. Continue Reading →
There are a few words used in today’s work-world that just make me cringe. Five years ago, the default combination of effective and efficient began to really bother me. Our quest for efficiency continues to undermine our effectiveness, as many… Continue Reading →
My current job affords me the opportunity to travel to distant lands, experience new things, and meet lots of interesting people. In fact, last month I had the privilege of bouncing around the west coast, Alaska, Hawaii, and a few stops… Continue Reading →
Having recently had an opportunity to engage with some esteemed academic leaders, I must admit that I am simultaneously envious and grateful. Envious of their opportunity to be a professional THINKer and grateful for the things about which I am… Continue Reading →
There are many latin phrases that are prominent in our language and given the fact that a large part of my job (really any job for that matter) is grounded on relationship building and partnership strengthening, it comes as no… Continue Reading →
Have you heard about the experiment done years ago on jumping frogs that were placed in jars with lids? To refresh your memory, the frogs had plenty of food and water, and due to their natural instincts, they continually tried to… Continue Reading →
I know that I am far from alone in my sincere belief that life is one giant opportunity. Whether we care to admit it or not, we all miss more opportunities than we realize…it’s just math. The key is to minimize the… Continue Reading →
Earlier this week on my way to work, I found myself singing along with one of my favorite U2 songs. “I Still Haven’t Found What I am Looking For” starts out as follows: I have climbed highest mountainsI have run… Continue Reading →
I know many people who are eager to take credit for the contributions they make and I tend to seek out people who are quick to give others credit for the contributions they make. What I don’t see all that often is… Continue Reading →
I have the pleasure of speaking with and to each new Information Warfare Officer via video-teleconference (VTC). This is an opportunity I was afforded based purely on geography in my last job (I served as the Commanding Officer of a… Continue Reading →
Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of going back to my home town, Pleasanton, California. The purpose of the visit was to present a scholarship in my brother’s memory to a deserving member of Amador Valley High School’s Class… Continue Reading →
Just as many have inspired me, I continue to encourage others to take permission to do the things they want to in life. To pick themselves instead of waiting for others to select them. Despite my belief in that approach to life,… Continue Reading →
Over the course of our life, we have likely been reminded that there are no shortcuts to meaningful achievement and that those who take shortcuts tend to be lazy (e.g. don’t want to work for what they want) or selfish (e.g…. Continue Reading →
The term “midlife crisis” became part of our vocabulary in the mid-1960s as a means of describing a time in life where adults begin to truly realize that we are mortal and that our life may be more than halfway… Continue Reading →
I heard it yet again last week at the tail end of a conversation, “You make a very compelling point.” I did not think the information shared was overly insightful, nor did I believe the argument that sound. Regardless, I… Continue Reading →
LT Austin Henry Rutkowski studied International Security at Stanford and Oregon State University. He received his commission as a Naval Officer in 2007 and has served in Afghanistan, the Philippines, Japan and the Persian Gulf. He is currently stationed at… Continue Reading →
“It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” – Eugene Ionesco Many of us like solving problems, pride ourselves in finding the “right” answers, and are quick to share our insights with others. I say “us” because I… Continue Reading →
As leaders, we are charged with inspiring the team with whom we lead to create value, accomplish the mission, and continually improve as both individuals and a team. Many of us attempt to do just that by pulling the team… Continue Reading →
Early this month I had the pleasure of sharing lunch with a prized friend and mentor. We talked of many things including family, our individual efforts focused on inspiring others, the future of our ongoing personal experiments, updates on some… Continue Reading →
I sincerely enjoy writing, sharing, and experimenting. In all honesty that is the reason this forum even exists. In 2013, I did all three in this very space. The examples of writing and sharing are both obvious and abundant, while… Continue Reading →
As the year draws to an end, I find myself once again immersed in the annual season of reflection and goal setting. Over the years, I’ve shared plenty of thoughts about my troubled relationship with resolutions many of us make, yet have… Continue Reading →
On October 21st, my younger (and only) brother Erik (“Big E”) passed away. The circumstances behind his passing are not important to share, but the way he lived most certainly is. Over the past few weeks, the memories we shared… Continue Reading →
Those who follow this forum or know me personally can attest to the fact that I am a big fan of Seth Godin. In fact, it was his book Linchpin and the coaching of a few of my mentors that… Continue Reading →
I like Oreos as much as the next person, maybe more. Those of us who indulge in such junk food have likely experimented with eating them in various ways. We might dip them in milk, we might smash them before… Continue Reading →
I have heard it said before that there are two kinds of people in this world…Those who believe there are two kinds of people in this world and those who are smart enough to know better. I fall into the… Continue Reading →