Weak or Strong? Your Choice!
Two cups of coffee. The one on the left is watered down and weak. The one on the right is robust and full flavored. The cup on the left is…
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I’m Watching You!
The photo above is the monument to the 96th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment located along the Wheatfield Road in the Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania. This soldier is keenly peering into…
Danger! Hazardous and Toxic!
Last week’s blog asked if you would enter a toxic atmosphere. Addressing employees, I compared a choking cloud of chlorine gas to a noxious work environment and the impact to…
Would You Enter a Toxic Atmosphere?
Would You Enter a Toxic Atmosphere? The two firefighters in the picture above are part of a drill simulating a chlorine leak in a one-ton chlorine container. We used white…
Do You Have Knots in Your Communications Rope?
Do You Have Knots in Your Communications Rope? Look closely at the photo and you will see a system of ropes and knots supporting the hammocks on either end. The…
The Bonds of Camaraderie
The Bonds of Camaraderie The fire engine in the photo is a 1961 GMC with the body built by Great Eastern Fire Apparatus. The rig served the Cedarville Fire Company…
What’s the Scuttlebutt?
My last two blog posts compared the anchor and garbage grinder on the U.S.S. North Carolina battleship memorial1 to areas in our lives. This article addresses the scuttlebutt and how…
What Garbage do You Need to Grind Up?
In May, my wife and I visited the battleship U.S.S. North Carolina, now a floating museum in Wilmington, North Carolina1. If you are ever in the area, I recommend you…
Does Your Anchor Hold You in Place or Pull You Down?
The photo shows one of the anchors for the battleship U.S.S. North Carolina (BB-55) now on display in Wilmington, North Carolina. The length of the ship is 728’, she has…
Personal Growth = Water In, Water Out
The photo shows a fire department ladder truck at the scene of a small fire. Notice the size of the two hoses. The larger yellow hose is 5” diameter and…
Dual Footprints Part 7
Dual Footprints Part 7 – A Commitment to Accountability Dual Footprints and Mentoring In June, I began writing this series addressing the commitments needed for a successful mentoring relationship. Previously…
Dual Footprints Part 6
Dual Footprints Part 6 – A Commitment to Grow and Listen Mentoring and Commitment At this point in the series on mentoring, it would be well to review the…
Dual Footprints Part 5
Dual Footprints Part 5 – A Commitment to Listen Mentoring Over the past four weeks I have discussed several areas related to mentoring including: A commitment to time A…
Dual Footprints Part 4
Dual Footprints Part 4 – Kill the Ego Dual Footprints is a multi-part blog on mentorship and this week it is either kill or be killed…by your ego. …
Dual Footprints Part 3
Dual Footprints Part 3 – A Commitment to be Transparent This is the third article in a series about coming alongside someone else and mentoring them. Part 2 discussed the…
Dual Footprints Part 2
Dual Footprints Part 2 – A Commitment of Time This series of articles addresses coming alongside someone else and mentoring them, hence the dual footprints. Today, I am writing about…
Dual Footprints
Dual Footprints Earlier this year I shot the above photo when my daughter and I took an evening walk along the beach in North Carolina. The footprints are a visual…
Connecting with People
When I took the photo above, I was standing along the banks of the York River in Yorktown, Virginia. On the other side is Gloucester, Virginia. I had three options…
Collaborative Decision Making
“As a result of collaborative decision making, battle experience, and efficient execution, the Yorktown air group was the only one that arrived over the target in a timely fashion and…
Know your Team
In 1942, Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance assumed command of Task Force 16 prior to the Battle of Midway. His assignment resulted from Vice Admiral William F. Halsey’s admittance to…
The Importance of Trust
“Regardless of the profession or situation, earning trust is paramount in leadership.”1 The photo shows two firefighters attacking a propane fire during a training session. Both individuals were assigned to…
Calm, Cool, and Collected
“One trait that Meade evidently possessed was absolute coolness under fire.”1 The quote above from Meade at Gettysburg, describes the general as he and his troops weathered a heavy artillery…
Decisions – “The most difficult part of my work…”
“The most difficult part of my work is acting without correct information on which to predicate action.”1 Those were the sentiments expressed by Major General George G. Meade, commanding general…
The Timing of Decision-Making
The photo above is a statue of General George S. Patton, Jr. taken in front of the General Patton Memorial Museum in Chiriaco Summit, California.1 In my opinion, General Patton…
Do You Want to be a Successful Decision-Maker?
Think back to a time when you attended a conference or training class, and lunch time rolls around. You and your friends decide to go out to eat followed by…
Why Won’t You Listen to Us?
Every year, organizations invest millions of dollars purchasing equipment, vehicles, software, etc. in a bid to be more efficient and effective. Additionally, thousands of dollars are spent to train personnel…
Car Engines and Enthusiastic Employees
What in the world does a picture of a 2003 Toyota Corolla car engine have to do with enthusiastic employees? Everything! Mileage and More Mileage Although our Corolla is…
The Canister Effect
During the American Civil War, artillery batteries often fired canister shot as a defensive measure against the attacking enemy. In the photo above, canister is the item preserved in plastic…
Anger, Pain, and Regret
Anger is a powerful emotion and uncontrolled it can bring about consequences that last a lifetime. January Emergency On a cold and sunny Monday in January 2006, fire department…
Impacting Others Through Teaching and Leading
The title of this blog is my life purpose, relating to Luke 12:48, “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much…
Do You Clearly Communicate with Others?
The afternoon of February 1, 2017 was sunny and pleasant, but by sundown the temperature began dropping, a light rain fell, and then quickly turned to snow. The wet road…
Two Sides of Team Conflict
My recent blog posts have been about team building and last week I wrote about integrity, trust, and allowing dissent. The team-building theme continues this week and revolves around a…
Are You Stuck in the Mud About Team Building?
The title of last week’s blog was Team Building Is Not a Mystery1 and I addressed the successful team building efforts of a local realtor. If there is no mystery…
Team Building Is Not a Mystery
So What’s The Secret? Is there a mystery to team building? No. Team building is no more mysterious than the construction project pictured above. However, all too often the mystery…
Up in Flames
This week I read an online article from Fast Company, Inc. titled Why no one on your team wants to be a manager anymore – and how to change that1.…
Fifty Years of Old School Influence
Each day, firefighters influence hundreds of people whether it be through an emergency response, a business inspection, or a young person visiting a fire station. Two individuals who have…
Avoiding a Career Tsunami
Earlier this week my attention was drawn to a headline on 9 News in Denver that read, “Broncos fire Fangio as head coach after three seasons.”1 This action took place…
Fire…Aim…Ready!
The photo depicts an artillery demonstration at the Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland1 where Americans from the north and south clashed on September 17, 1862, the bloodiest day in American…
Don’t wait to say…
Christmas 2021 has passed, but not the memories. Two weeks prior, my mother-in-law became sick and the Sunday afternoon before December 25th an ambulance transported her to the hospital. Given…
What Has You Tangled Up?
The photo above is from a diorama of a World War I German solider cutting barbed wire at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania1. The display…
Reflect on the Year Before Flying Into 2022
The egret in the photo is about to take flight but look closely and you will see that the bird is staring into its reflection in the waters at Emerald…
Honor, Courage, and Commitment
Honor, courage, and commitment1. These are the values of the United States Marine Corps developed from over 246 years of resolute and selfless service to our country. On December…
Climbing the Ladder of Leadership Development
Climbing the ladder often refers to vertical movement through an organizational hierarchy. The phrase has also been attached to success, but that topic will be addressed in a future blog.…
Are You Truly Thankful?
The photo above is the old firehouse at Lowry Air Force Base (A.F.B.) in Denver, Colorado. The Air Force closed the base in 1994 and for a short period the…
Do You Have an Organizational Monster in Your Midst?
Do You Have an Organizational Monster in Your Midst? In my November 3rd blog, I wrote about organizational monsters and asked if you wanted to hire someone like that. Of…
USMC Birthday & Veteran’s Day
USMC Birthday & Veteran’s Day November 10, 1775, and the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month. Two significant days with deep meaning for me. The first…
Are You Losing Your Head?
Are You Losing Your Head? The photo above depicts the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow holding his carved pumpkin head in the palm of his hand. Are there times you…
Succeeding With Teamwork
Succeeding With Teamwork I took the photo above near my house on October 16 when the United States Navy Blue Angels® performed two shows that weekend. As a veteran of…
Are You Bridging or Creating Gaps?
Are You Bridging or Creating Gaps? Do you believe a generation gap exists in our society? Do you complain that the younger generation doesn’t listen, or they don’t care? As…
Gators Gobbling Gators
Gators Gobbling Gators Earlier this month media outlets including USA Today ran a story showing video of one alligator eating another alligator in Horry County, South Carolina.1 The video is…
What Does Pumpkin Spice Have to Do with Leadership?
What Does Pumpkin Spice Have to Do with Leadership? Last week I read an article in the news about pumpkin spice and my video of September 29 revolved around that…
Are You a Fatalist or a Cliché Quoter?
Are You a Fatalist or a Cliché Quoter? After reading the title of this article your reaction may be, “No, I’m not a fatalist and I have no idea what…
Who Are You Imprinting, Following, and Impacting?
Who Are You Imprinting, Following, and Impacting? The photo shows our dog Java. She is a fifteen-pound, Toy Australian Shepherd/Rat Terrier mix, and in my opinion one of the smartest…
Is Your Leadership Growth Diluted?
Is Your Leadership Growth Diluted? Throughout my career in the fire service, I responded to a wide variety of emergencies, including one at a local convenience store in the summer…
They’re dead…
They’re dead… Turning on the television set in our family room the morning of September 11, 2001, I heard the eerie sound of multiple PASS devices emitting ear-piercing cries indicating…
Essential Leadership Development
Essential Leadership Development As we move into September, what have you done to develop yourself as a leader over the last eight months? Did you start the year with good…
Serving or Deserving?
Serving or Deserving? A young man wearing a suit and tie entered the room, introduced himself, and took a seat before an interview panel of which I was participating in.…
Liquid Leadership: An Easy Fix for Growth
Liquid Leadership: An Easy Fix for Growth The product label reads, Liquid Leadership: Guaranteed to Fix All Your Leadership Needs! Are you desiring more responsibility on the job, or maybe a promotion…