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 […]
Leadership Musings
Get Even Better Tours
I heard it again recently, two relatively senior Naval Officers talking about their personal involvement in helping someone be given the benefit of a “Get Well Tour.” […]
The Mirror is Telling
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 […]
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 […]
Best Athlete
When a professional sports team drafts athletes to join their team, there are multiple strategies. Some choose to draft the “best athlete” available, others draft a player […]
Going Home
Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of going back to my hometown, Pleasanton, California. The purpose of the visit was to present a scholarship […]
Just Passing Through
I like to think that there is a reason behind everything we do. It is true that sometimes I try harder than I should to identify […]
Scaffolding
Over Memorial Day Weekend, we went on a rather spontaneous trip to Niagara Falls and a few other places. It was so spontaneous that I […]
Picked
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 […]
Permission to Suck
Last Friday, my wife sent me an e-mail that contained a time, an address, and these words “Guest speaker Megan McArdle will discuss her new […]
Shortcuts
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Awards Worth Having
Whether it be a simple thank you, a trophy, monetary compensation, or something else, we all appreciate being recognized for a job well done. Personally, […]
Helicopter Leadership
A military is able to project power through mere presence, the police often maintain order and nearly always alter behavior just by being within our […]
I Hope This Works…
Though my personal interest in video games disappeared long ago, my son considers the time he spends playing them amongst his favorite. As a means […]
The Cooperative Leadership Model
Life continues to be busy in the most pleasant of ways. Lots of WANT TOs and very few HAVE TOs…the way time should be spent. […]
Compelled to Believe
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 […]
Force of Enthusiasm (Guest Post)
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 […]
Walking Mentorship
I am continually looking for opportunities to learn from others, put ideas into action, and experiment with things that may not work. One of the […]