In a surprising experiment, children tended to copy actions of an adult demonstrator, even irrelevant steps, to get a reward, whereas chimpanzees disregarded useless steps to get to the food. Do we do things just because “that’s the way we’ve always done it”?
Category: Leadership
Imagine in the early hours of December 8th, 1941, instead of hearing the crowing roosters and soulful songs of morning birds, while fishermen hawk their catch off of their moored boats, you hear the hum of troop transport boats and the sharp report of gunfire. Under the dim light of a waning moon, mostly covered
The measure of great leaders lies not in just their accomplishments, but in the leaders that they develop as their legacy. If we’re concerned about establishing something lasting and bigger than ourselves, it’s not enough to be personally excellent. Truly great leaders don’t fear their replacement, they grow them. A chain of leadership exists in
Overconfidence sets us up for a long fall if we’re not realistic about our limitations. We all have cognitive biases that contribute to being overconfident, but these can be overcome with 6 practical methods to make more successful decisions.
Upon entering the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs every June, basic cadets, called “doolies,” are given a small pocketbook of knowledge with quotes to memorize and repeat under stress. The quotes deal with self-discipline, airmanship, and especially leadership. Patton’s quote has been particularly influential in my life, and remains applicable for leaders
Special days for appreciating and thanking mothers are celebrated around the world at different times in different cultures. In the United States, Mother’s Day is officially recognized on the 2nd Sunday of May. In honor of that tradition, here are some thoughts on what my mom taught me about leadership. Let’s start a conversation…Please share
To be a leader you don’t need to be the star of the show. Leadership doesn’t mean shining in front of everyone’s eyes. It’s about fulfilling your role, leading your team in support of something bigger than you.
On 18 April 2018, Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 was passing 32,500 feet altitude, bound for Dallas from New York. Passengers heard and felt a large explosion, a sudden depressurization, and rapid turn and descent. A passenger was sucked half-way out of a blown-out window, severely injured from explosion shrapnel. In the chaos, the aircrew managed
When I was in the US Air Force, I witnessed several examples of the downside of goal-setting. The structure of promotion often rewarded holding certain positions over the actual performance in the position. One example particularly sticks in my mind of a “fast burner,” or someone on the fast promotion track, who was shifted over
Last year in June, the ATM celebrated its 50th birthday. So, if tellers have been “automated" for over 50 years, why do we still have tellers? And what does this tell us about the AI threat to jobs that everyone fears? Many people thought that the ATMs would eventually wipe out teller jobs, but in