At the end of my son’s most recent swim practice, he approached the car with a big grin, which is not his typical post-practice body language. Before I even had a chance to ask him how practice went, he proudly announced, “Dad, that practice was so fun because it was so […]
Tag: Maybe
Disneyland Mindset
Do you remember the first time you went to Disneyland, Disneyworld, or any amusement park for that matter? Given that I was six the first time I went, I don’t think I have any accurate memories of that experience. But I do remember going to amusement parks many times as […]
Doing What We Want
Want: have a desire to possess or do (something); wish for. Should: used to indicate obligation, duty, or correctness. What do you want to do? What should you do? When the answers to those questions are not aligned, which trumps which? As we enter the new year, many of us are […]
Engaging “The Others”
People who are truly committed to their profession, their team, and their potential tend to have little trouble bouncing out of bed, giving their best, and end the day satisfied with the effort. We may not always be thrilled about the outcome, but we don’t control that. However, we do […]
Shelf Life
Open your refrigerator or go into your pantry and take an inventory of all the products with an expiration date on them. Now check out any produce you have on the counter and assess how much longer they might be edible. In the pantry, you will likely find that some […]
The Tenured Team
I am not an academic, but I feel as though I long ago reached the point of having tenure as a Naval Officer. Generally speaking, tenure is the right to hold a position for as long as you want to have it after meeting a longevity and performance standard requirement. […]
Bubbles
Bubbles make me smile. I enjoy blowing them every now and then. I like to see how big I can make them before they pop. It’s neat to see how far those bubbles that stay intact can fly before the environment absorbs them and they succumb. Sometimes, rather than see […]
Green Lights
Last week, my wife and I made a quick trip to Annapolis, Maryland to attend a Navy ceremony. And by quick trip, I mean that we were there for all of 15 hours. Once the ceremony concluded, we enjoyed a quick lunch at one of our favorite establishments and boarded our […]
Cautiously Bold
I am the first to admit that as time goes on, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for me to be patient. In my professional life, that is far more true than in my personal life. That is likely the case because of the perceived timeline over the horizon. I have […]
Long-Term Stewardship
It’s no secret that we live in a world where immediate gratification is a growing priority. We want to see results now. Whether it is wins on the athletic field, profitability on our bottom line, or the delivery of our pizza, we want it now! Whether we talk about the […]
The Meaningful Threshold
During my first week in command, I hosted a Command Quarters where I had the opportunity to celebrate some of the talent across the team by awarding various forms of recognition. And because it was my first time in front of the Command, I chose to formally introduce myself as […]
Newport to Remember
It happened again, the Navy sent me to Newport, Rhode Island. They’ve been doing that every 3-5 years since I was commissioned. Those of you who have visited Newport will likely agree that it is an absolutely beautiful place. But when we reflect on our stay, each of us will undoubtedly […]
What Will You Command?
Even at the earliest stages in our career, Naval Officers are taught that we should aspire to Command. Joint Pub 1-02 defines Command as… The authority that a Commander in the Military Service lawfully exercises over subordinates by virtue of rank or assignment. Command includes the authority and responsibility for effectively using […]
THINKers
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 afforded the opportunity to think. Now I have never been […]
Opportunities Realized
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 number of opportunities missed and increase the number of opportunities realized. […]
Declaration of Interdependence
We recently celebrated our Nation’s independence last week on the 4th of July. It was a glorious celebration that should remind even the unpatriotic of how fortunate we are to enjoy the freedoms that we do. I took the opportunity to re-read the document that was ratified on the same date […]
Loyalty Down
Loyalty is among the most valued characteristics between friends, family, teammates, and co-workers. In fact, I submit that a relationship is virtually meaningless without it. Each of us wants to know that we can count on others when we need them…and even when we don’t. I have the pleasure of […]
Midlife Certainty
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 over. On the surface and despite the inclusion of the […]
Genuine Conversations
The basis for this post is an e-mail I sent to the team with whom I currently lead. Until recently, we had not made team-building a deliberate focus; we had not made standard enforcement a priority; we had not allowed our strategic objectives to shape our day and instead have […]
Gratitude Ceremonies
Spring has sprung and summer is near. The change in weather signals many things to many people and I am finding that with each year that passes this is the season of retirement ceremonies. Last Friday, two of my valued Shipmates retired from the world’s greatest Navy, one in Pensacola […]