Uncommon Bonds
Just finished reading this incredibly inspiring book. "Uncommon Bonds: A Journey in Optimism is an inspiring story of love, faith, strength and determination – and...
Friction
Chapter 34: Friction "As in warfare, every industry, profession, company, or team encounters two main types of friction: 1. External Friction These are things you have...
Criticism must always be accompanied by Solutions
A Roman General was the subject of politically motivated criticism and second-guessing from those far removed from the battlefield. He essentially said, "You're welcome to...
Steel Penny Focus = Victory
During World War II, Americans were asked to make many sacrifices to contribute to the war effort. The Great Depression had taught people to do without and sacrificing...
Competence and Cohesion
We live in interesting times, to say the least! The senior leaders of many companies had the foresight to envision a scenario in which “remote operations” would...
Leadership Best Practice
Decisions are being made daily that will provide the grist for countless business school case studies that will show aspiring leaders the common denominators among...
Deliberate Discomfort
Just finished this gem of a book by Jason Van Camp and Andy Symonds. It's a superb collection of leadership stories, anecdotes and lessons learned. If you're a fan of...
Actions > Words
The members of an organization will not remember what their leaders said during the Coronavirus crisis, but they will remember what they did. Forever. A Leader's Actions...
Beyond Average
The best leaders possess exceptional mental toughness and resilience. I study these qualities as much as I do leadership and management techniques, because without them,...
Demanding or Demeaning?
Most people actually enjoy working with leaders known for having high standards. Nobody enjoys working with leaders who are known to be what I refer to as "screamers and...
Substance vs. Image
In 2001, Enron - a $64 Billion company - collapsed and essentially went bankrupt in 24 days. This was a case study in how unethical leaders can poison an entire...
Substance > Image
Many new officers judge the worth of fellow Marines by their scores on the Physical Fitness Test (PFT). For various reasons, this is not a wise practice and I saw it as my...
Beware of January 1st Deadlines!
As an executive coach, I offer these words of caution to my clients: “Beware of January 1st deadlines and implementations!” Executives often direct January...
Leadership > Culture > Strategy > Tactics
Companies that dominate their industries have figured out that the fastest way to gain an advantage over the competition is to have a trained, cohesive and capable...
Chapter 58: Ettore's Rules
"1. Character and Integrity are non-negotiable." Wise executives know that a culture in which integrity is non-negotiable, and is demonstrated by all leaders, is the surest...
Forbes Article
Forbes just published my article! Leaders: Can You Pass The Caller ID TEST? Mike's Article on Forbes
Chapter 28: Mission Tactics
Commander's Intent and Mission Tactics can be very effective in business! For Trust-Based Leadership Book Go to: https://amzn.to/2qvl8F6
Chapter 26: Professional Reputation
"Get the essentials of leadership right and the money usually follows." Find Book Here: Trust-Based Leadership
Chapter 18: The 5 Laws of Leadership
"While there are countless leadership axioms, sayings, quotes, etc. (many of which are mentioned in this book) that can add great value to your development as a leader, I...
Complacency
Success breeds complacency when an organization is led by leaders who fail to anticipate the unanticipated. The best leaders join their teammates in contemplating and...
Semper FI
75 years ago today, 30,000 U.S. Marines landed on Iwo Jima, igniting one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. Veterans of Iwo Jima were still serving when I enlisted...
Meetings Reveal Culture
On Time – Fully Prepared – Fully Engaged. This simple mantra communicated what was expected of every member of the publicly-traded Firm I served in for nearly...
