I’ve now spent over three years “on the bridge” of two very large organizations — U.S. Southern Command in Miami and, of course, more recently U.S. European Command. As I reflect on my experience, both at this level and really since becoming a ship captain, I have come away with 15 things that have stood kept me in pretty good stead. Some of them I’ve picked up from my bosses along the way, some I’ve discovered through reading biography biographies of people I admire and history of events that have impacted my life and thought, and others are purely my own, often learned from my own failures and shortcomings.

These days, I offer them to other senior folks in my command, not as strict guidance, but as a reflection of some ideas that are valuable to me – things that work well and fit my own personality and style. I then encourage senior leaders to decide what works for them. I think the important thing for any leader, in the military or out, is to come up with his or her own list, try them out over time, and – if they come to fit pretty well – try to live them; therein, of course, lies the real challenge. more…