I'm known as an empathetic leader - one who cares deeply about people and who supports them when they encounter challenges in their personal life. I operate off a set of priorities such as people first and family first which guide my actions and decisions. When one of my employees or teammates is ill, I'm concerned first with his or her wellbeing. When they have family issues, I want them to focus on those issues and not their role in the company. I believe this to be the best approach to leadership - loyalty, love, and empathy begets engaged, dedicated people. Unfortunately the business gets a vote and it, on the other hand, does not care.

Who are the true members of your organization? Many leaders only consider those who work full-time near them each day, such as W2 employees. Are they leaving people out? Indeed, contractor and consultant has a bad ring. What comes to mind is a consultant who appears at the most inconvenient time to sprinkle some advice on you before they disappear leaving you with extra work or a contractor who performs a task or offers a service but does not really understand what is happening inside an organization. While many contractors and consultants earn this bad rap, part of if it is born of bad leadership.

I was in New Jersey this week delivering some leadership lessons to a large group of hungry leaders seeking to invest in their people. The CEO, who kicked off the event and gave a great opening presentation which highlighted those critical things employees are looking for - where are we headed, what's the strategy, our priorities, and what is the path to success? He did all of this on a foundation of vision, values, culture and priorities. In his pitch he described the guidance he received from his boss on day one - "achieve excellence and plan for your successor." Well put. In the Army I was given similar advice to 'build the team, build excellence, plan for transition.' Commanders in the Army were only in position for about two years. Succession was part of the plan. I believe the same holds true for business.

The military has this long-standing tradition of inspecting the readiness of the troops for battle. It is seen today on parade fields when commanders escort senior commanders in front of and behind a formation of service members. In less formal yet important ways, it happens as a junior leader inspects his or her troops' equipment, knowledge, and level of physical fitness. War demands the absolute most from individuals. Individuals makeup the collective team which ultimately wins or loses battles. Lives and the defense of a nation are at stake. The same applies for a business.

Fractional, part-time, or interim Human Resources (HR) generally means getting the benefits of human resources for your organization without having to hire a full-time HR professional. Indeed, as a small business I cannot afford a full-time HR professional. I'm forced to outsource or perform those functions myself. I have concerns with term and concept of fractional HR.

For every assignment I had in the Army I had a sergeant or non-commissioned officer. Sergeants, the envy of every military across the world, are known for telling it like it is. They kept all of us - officers and enlisted trained and ready for war. They are, as my former boss liked to say, the lifeblood of the Army. With each new posting, I would seek this person out. They would be my right hand, my battle buddy, and I would ask something of them; to call me out.

As April speeds to a close, we enter the season of commencement. I offer this blog for the few, I hope, who may choose not to attend their own graduation, especially from a college or university. For so many reasons they should don the cap and gown and participate in this time honored, symbolic ceremony - a milestone in their life. People should formally celebrate their accomplishments surrounded by those who love and support them. Why wouldn't they?

"When you're out of Schlitz, you're out of beer," so stated the 1971 commercial from the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. I came to know this phrase in the Army when we were planning military operations and we discovered the point where supplies or available troops ran out. "We're out of Schlitz!" I heard this phrase from subordinates when they reached their peak capacity or were short of resources - "boss, I'm out of Schlitz." Of course it was my job to know that before issuing orders otherwise I would be ordering the impossible. However, I had more in my toolbox than my subordinates. My boss did as well and I always kept this in mind.

We've all seen the game musical chairs - people walking in a circle around a group of chairs on high alert waiting for the music to stop so they can claim a chair. The one left standing is out and the game continues until the last person is seated. Those seated are awarded the status of being in the group. The last one seated is crowned with the status of winner. Here I'll use the musical chairs concept in relation to how status revolves - or should revolve around a group of people.

This is the worst subject but, unfortunately, a real one. Over the weekend I learned of the death of the husband of one of my former soldiers Melissa. I didn't know him personally - she married years after I left that unit, but the news was still terrible. I can't imagine losing a loved one. Nobody wants to imagine that, let alone experience it, but as leaders, we must be ready for when it happens. We trained for this in the Army as we knew it was inevitable. Here are some tips. Perhaps you store this away for use should it happen in your organization.

I write this morning from Fayetteville, North Carolina, the home of Fort Bragg, soon to be Fort Liberty, and the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. My family and I spent five years of my Army journey here - many fond memories amidst the hardship of serving as a paratrooper in a time of war. As I drive around, that nervous feeling returns to my gut. This was a hard, demanding chapter of my Army career. Today however, I arrive in a casual suit, with facial hair basking in my glory for having conquered all Fort Bragg and the 82nd threw at me and to receive a gift of leadership.

I'm not sure how many Rush (rock band) fans there are subscribed to my blog, but the line, "if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." always speaks to me as a leader and a decision maker. It reminds me that I must make a decision, even if it is not to act. And there are consequences for not acting. Translated here, if you do not respond you still have communicated.

Is anything original? Perhaps, but I believe, when it comes to leadership, I'm plagiarizing all day long. For clarity, Merriam-Webster defines plagiarize: to steal and pass off (the words or ideas of another) as one's own : use (another's production) without crediting the source. My wife Leslie, an artist, sees things in galleries, magazines, on the internet, and in nature which inspire her. I spout off sayings specific to leading, operating, and problem solving I learned or heard from another leader. Who's to say they where the originator of that art or leadership saying or practice?

I attended an event on a Saturday recently which promoted the trades for high school students. I spent all morning there exploring and voting on student projects. The lunch hour came and went and when I eventually decided to leave I was pretty hungry. In the parking lot outside the venue there were food trucks and a few other vendors cooking and selling food. I love food trucks for the unique and tasty food they produce. There you can get your meal straight from the grill or oven to your hand, cooked by a person or two who pays strict attention to detail, taking pride in the experience. Sign me up!

I'm hiring in my small business and I hate the word. Of course, I must use it to define clearly what I'm doing but I think too many organizations and leaders get hiring wrong. I've been doing a lot of speaking about this lately as most organizations struggle to find and retain talent. I'll focus here on the hiring act and leave retention for past and future blogs. Keep reading and get your friends and colleagues to sign up. Go here!

Morale down? It happens to the best of organizations. When people are brought together under good leadership in support of an important mission or cause, there is naturally a lot to be motivated about. Consider a sports team at the beginning of the season, fired up to bond and grow and be a contender for the championship. Motivation and energy are high and selflessness prevails as people come together to help each other. As the season matures, the team experiences a loss or two, and personalities and personal quirks rise to the surface, morale begins to decrease. It would be nice to have a meter to gauge morale but unfortunately one does not exist. The fact is, you don't need a formal meter if you are an engaged leader.

Communication is an essential part of leadership and it goes wrong daily if not hourly in organizations. Here is a wonderful editing tool and a great way to communicate clearly as a leader that I've used throughout my years. I learned it from a military planner in the early 2000's. Planners in the military are known to be intelligent, articulate, and able to consume and translate volumes of information. The U.S. Army has a separate course - SAMS, The School of Advance Military Studies for these gifted individuals. Officers who attend and graduate from the course are labeled, "SAMS" officers as a badge of honor. They carry this label throughout their career. I'm not a SAMS guy.

Every modern organization has embedded or at least contracted to it, technicians to help them and their organization function. We are simply stuck without them. You know these people - the ones who connect the wires, create and administer our automated operating programs, install the sound systems, and service and repair the complex equipment in our companies. They do the work we are not experienced, trained, or educated to do. If we are good leaders, we have at least a cursory understanding of what they do - respect at least, so that we may lead them properly.

Have you ever had that waiter or waitress who takes your order without writing anything down? I lose confidence when that happens. I think to myself, "How can they memorize all that amidst the chaos of a restaurant?" I wonder if they are showing off. I know I could never do that. I suffer from CRS - can't remember shit. To this day, I still get burned when I do not write something down. I'll forget it and it will rear its ugly head at some point and bite me. Take notes.

Does your networking event suck? Have you been to one which sucks? I've answered yes to both of those. Upfront, I'm a believer and staunch supporter of networking. I've worked hard for sure, but every success I've had in my encore life following military service can be traced back to a network - someone I met at a networking event or on platforms such as LinkedIn who eventually contracted me for my leadership services or connected me with someone who did or who brought value to my life. Networking comes in several flavors. It can be done though platforms like LinkedIn, virtual meetings (more common post pandemic), or, in its most common form, a physical meeting at a physical location. The latter is the one I want to unpack.