Posts with the ‘Leaders of Character’ tag
“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 […]
This is a copy of the last blog written by a student from the Brook Hill School who went to Uganda over spring break. It also happens to be my 16 year old son, Jake. I may be biased, but this is better than anything I have ever written. See what K.I.S.S. means to a […]
“What leadership book have you ever read that states, ‘A leader does what is right unless it will cost him personally.’” There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. It was not the empathetic answer Stan was looking for. The question: “What can I do? She’s my boss.”
Cowardice and courage are obvious before and during battle. In 1991, I witnessed another 1st Lieutenant back out of mission that I later volunteered for as a result of his cowardice. In another part of the battlefield, I had a friend dismount from his tank and walk his platoon through a minefield while under enemy […]
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 […]
My four years at West Point began and ended at Michie Stadium. July 1, 1985 was a beautiful sunny day filled with fear and anxiety as I said goodbye to my loving parents and hello to the not-so-loving upperclassmen. The principles of leadership taught at West Point served me well as a young platoon leader […]
Public Tests- “Everyone is watching what I will do.” In a nutshell: My decisions in these moments often determine the culture of my team. I couldn’t believe she said it! I know locker room talk. I know the stories soldiers tell while on deployment. But this woman just made me blush! She also made all […]
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 […]
Leadership is a blend of competence and character. BG (Retired) Jim Anderson, my father, taught me that. In 41 years in the Army, including two tours in Vietnam, he saw a lot of great leaders and a lot of leadership failures that formed his philosophy.
