Posts with the ‘Character’ tag
Busy. Overwhelmed. Strapped for time. Barely keeping up. I have felt that way as a team leader. Those feelings seem to be more common than ever for leaders. Most leaders feel pushed to the limit, yet they all want to focus on building stronger teams. It is the tyranny of the urgent…the urgent day to […]
In May, I had the opportunity to speak to 600+ people at the Chick Fil A Leadercast that was simulcasted into our local venue. A big thrill was following John Maxwell. I also spoke right before Coach K! Here is the video of that presentation. The character tests cadets face at West Point builds leaders. That […]
Love Works. Seven Timeless Principles For Effective Leaders by Joel Manby has a title that may turn off some people who believe the words Love and Work should never meet in the workplace. Joel Manby put his money where his mouth is on CBS’s hit show, Undercover Boss. He creating a sensation when he exposed […]
“No excuse, sir.” Of the four approved responses a West Point plebe may use, this one was hardest for me to say. But, everything we did at West Point had a purpose. The purpose of teaching 18 year olds not to make excuses actually fulfills West Point’s purpose: To provide our nation with leaders of […]
Painful Tests = “Someone is going to get hurt.” In a nutshell: Inflicting pain on myself or someone else is a test of character and courage. There are some decisions I make in leadership, I know are going to hurt. They may hurt me, or they may hurt others. In these situations, it may not […]
“I am the same person I was last year.” 15 years ago, I realized that statement was a dubious accomplishment. Twelve months had gone by, and I had little to show for it. I hadn’t moved forward. I was stagnant. Characteristics of a Stagnant Pond: It has nothing flowing in or out. It becomes overgrown […]
He was tearing up! I hadn’t signed up for this type of seminar. This was not some new age self-actualization guru speaking to us. This guy was a Navy SEAL! You could hear the words get caught in his throat and see his eyes fill as he read to the audience. Everyone in the audience listened […]
“Anderson! You have to be like Gumby! Come up with a new plan and do it quick or your men will die!” These words echoed through the woods as I stood confused during my first attempt leading an infantry squad during Cadet Basic Training at West Point. The staff sergeant wasn’t going to allow me […]
He sat across from me for 90 minutes. He demonstrated drive, humility, sales skills, and the character I love to hire. The problem was his background. I was hiring for a high-end medical sales position. But, he was selling dumpster pick-up service to restaurants. I really liked Jeff. But I hired someone else because Jeff […]
There is a lot of discussion of the word integrity in business books, in politics, in universities…in every walk of life. I read about it all the time. But, my father, General Jim Anderson, the former Master of the Sword at West Point, taught me more about integrity than any other source. He says: INTEGRITY […]
