In the last decade, former Secretary of State Colin Powell may have found himself feeling like a man out of sync with the times. With the news of his passing yesterday, I found myself reflecting on the profound impact he had on so many over such a long career. Regardless of one’s politics, there’s probablyContinue reading “Colin Powell, The Reluctant Warrior”
Tag Archives: Quotes
The Most Dangerous Idea in Politics
Those who cannot envision a brighter future will never aspire to one.
A Worthy Read for the Moment
A fair amount of time has passed since I added a new recommendation to the Bookshelf. Today, I right that wrong. I was first introduced to the writing style of Thomas E. Ricks in his study of US Military leadership titled The Generals. Less a history and more of an organizational biography, The Generals tracksContinue reading “A Worthy Read for the Moment”
The Pesky Problems of a Crisis Mindset
“If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority.” Some Marine Officer, sometime I honestly can’t remember just when I heard this USMC truism, but it’s one of those that I encountered repeatedly in uniform. It may not be fully fair, but I’m going to accredit this one to my former Commanding Officer. ForContinue reading “The Pesky Problems of a Crisis Mindset”
Overcoming Barriers to Advocacy
“I just don’t know enough about it.” “What I have to say won’t really matter.” “I just don’t have the time right now.” “I’ve never done it. I don’t know what to say.” Sound familiar? These are some of the most common responses when folks are asked to participate in advocacy campaigns. Successful advocacy organizationsContinue reading “Overcoming Barriers to Advocacy”
The Sky is Falling
“So, NASA’s OSF tells us that the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg Air Force Base believes that a Chinese satellite has fallen out of its orbital… flight plan. The last detection the 30th had placed it in what they call a “degrading orbital path” and it’s now dropped off their radar, suggesting it’s begun aContinue reading “The Sky is Falling”
Complicated Cal
You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but you can judge it by the wear and tear. I don’t really care for clean books. Yes, I absolutely want to pass along an extensive library to my kids some day. But under no circumstance should they expect those books to beContinue reading “Complicated Cal”
Moments of Leadership – the one where you just keep going
Going slow isn’t a failure, giving up is.
Give ’em hell, Harry
It’s challenging enough to not remember President Harry S. Truman simply through the prism of “FDR’s successor”. It’s nearly impossible to not fall into the trap of discussing his role in ending the second World War and stumbling toward the Korean War. His terms in office so saturated with conflict, he is often quoted byContinue reading “Give ’em hell, Harry”
Part of the Possible 