When I was a nuclear officer in the US Air Force, I adopted a leadership technique called the Two-Objection Policy. It was a way for my crew partner and I to make decisions in a fast-paced environment, and it ensured that not only did a decision get made but also that there was a chance […]

I served in Iraq with the US military during 2004-2005 and had the opportunity to be there during their first election and participate in the planning to make sure it went off as safely as possible. That planning went pretty slowly, as it was hard to get the Iraqis to make decisions; instead, they wanted […]

When you are trying to help your employees resolve an issue, it’s often better to ask questions instead of just telling them what they should do. You are more likely to help them reach a solution that is good for them and for you. If you have an employee who is having problems, whether it’s […]

We’ve all heard the phrase “familiarity breeds contempt.” But is it possible that familiarity could make everyone more content instead? The original idea came from the industrial age, based in part perhaps on the idea that managers should not know too much about their floor workers lest they learn too much and form negative opinions […]

Sunday morning a friend and I went for breakfast at a somewhat high-end western chain restaurant in Bangkok. I had always found the food and the service to be very good, and wanted my friend to see what I had been talking about. Unfortunately, the experience left a lot to be desired, and much of […]