I hear it just about every day, “It’s too hard.” The phrase remains the same, yet the context and sentiment varies. One day it’s my […]
Leadership Musings
Promises
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, […]
Leaders and Doers
I recently had the privilege of hosting a mentorship session for a few dozen junior officers here in Maryland. We talked about many things ranging […]
When People Impede Progress (Guest Post)
LTjg Kevin J. Schmidt is a Senior Manager of Software Engineering and a thought leader in the cyber and threat analysis space. He drills at […]
Big E’s Big Four
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 […]
Why an MBA? (Guest Post)
LCDR Adrian Arvizo received his commission as a Cryptologic Officer through Officer Candidate School (OCS) in 2002 via the Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program (BDCP). In […]
Loss of Confidence
In the Navy we see it all too often, a Commanding Officer relieved for cause. For those not in the military, that is merely a […]
The Political Principle (Guest Post)
Josh Jordan spent 6 years in the Navy as Cryptologic Technician (Collection). Following his Navy career, he joined the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center […]
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 […]
The “M” Word
I am often careful of the words I choose to use and one of the many words that I dislike hearing as much as saying […]
Shipped It
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, […]
Realizing Expectations (Guest Post)
LT Matt Caylor began his Navy career as a nuclear-field Electrician’s Mate. Following four years of enlisted service, he was accepted to the United States […]
The Middle
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 […]
Solution Providers
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 […]
Potential Principle
I recently witnessed one of my mentors promote another to the rank of Admiral. It was a wonderful celebration of the shipmates, family, and friends […]
Pirates, Passion, Professionals (Guest Post)
Mario Vulcano is a retired Chief Warrant Officer after 23 years and is currently serving as Course Manager and instructor for the Information Warfare Basic […]
“TED-like” Talk
It was late December of 2012 and I had just finished my list of goals for 2013, or so I thought. The week prior to […]
Letting Things Break
I have always enjoyed being a member of a team. Whether it be my family, a team on the athletic field, a command, or an […]
Engage. Connect. Grow.
A recent status update on my LinkedIn account resulted in a nice conversation with a Department of Defense (DoD) civilian on the topic of mentoring, […]
The Vortex (Guest Post)
LTJG Kelly Ryan commissioned in the Navy in 2010 through Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI after a successful career as an equestrian dressage coach […]