Posts with the ‘Habits’ tag
Facing us is the River of Fear, made deep and wide by our hesitations, timidity, doubts, and paralysis. Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities…because it is the quality which guarantees all others. – Winston Churchill Other than the words in this paragraph, this entire blog is taken directly from the introduction to […]
The grizzled veteran manager proudly declared, “My top priority is to take care of my team.” It sounded like I found a kindred spirit. I believe the leader’s job should be centered on his people. But what I had discovered was a selfish, hard headed and insecure man. Over time, I learned he was not […]
I used to swear a lot, drink too much and eat Buffalo wings for a meal 3-4 times a week. Today I rarely swear, have a beer occasionally with a meal, and eat Buffalo wings once in a blue moon.
The litmus test for good leadership is character. Rarely do I read history, watch the news or read the paper and learn about a leader who failed because of incompetence. The most common reason a leader fails is a shortfall in character. What happens in the months, days, or minutes that lead to a fatefully […]
Becoming a leader of character is a process that never ends. It is a never ending road towards a destination you can never completely reach. But, leaders must take this road daily in order to grow and lead well. I had the benefit of my father, General Jim Anderson, and four years of training at West […]
Every male freshman (plebe) entering West Point has a mandatory class that few other colleges offer much less require. Boxing. Each morning that boxing was on my schedule I woke up thinking about it. I would sit in calculus, chemistry or computer programing class thinking about boxing. It didn’t matter that I had tests or […]
Dad: “Did you do what your mom asked you to do?’ Son: (Without looking at his dad.) “Yep.” Dad: (Eye brow raised) “Excuse me?” Son: (Starting to walk away and dripping with annoyance) “Yes Dad. I did what mom asked me to do!” Dad: (Firmly) “Hey bud! Look at me.” The boy turns and looks at his […]
Headline: West Point, The Best Public College in America — US News and World Report in 2011. My alma mater opened in 1802 as an engineering school. In 2011 it was ranked third in the nation for undergraduate engineering, still lockstep with its 200-year-old original purpose. But at its heart, West Point is a leadership school. The primary […]
Direct TV warns us: “Don’t have a grandson with a dog collar.” While I am tempted to blame my issues on the cable television industry, especially their “customer service centers”, I believe my issues, particularly my character issues are internally derived.
