Hurry Up and Wait
An old Vietnam veteran was sitting across from me in the VA waiting room. Like so many of us, he had arrived early and was patiently waiting his turn. Some habits never leave you. The military teaches you to hurry up and wait, and that lesson cuts across every branch and every generation. He leaned […]
Mentoring: Give It Away
At some point in every career, the question becomes unavoidable: am I here just to execute, or am I responsible for passing something on? Mentorship is often packaged as a noble duty or a shiny leadership merit badge. That framing misses the point. The actual “why” is less polished and far more practical. Mentoring is […]
The Unbreakable Thread of Brotherhood
We were barely adults when the Navy got hold of us. Looking back on it, we were really still just kids. Different accents, different hometowns, different reasons for ending up there but suddenly standing the same watches, staring at the same horizon, and learning very quickly that privacy was no longer a thing. There’s nothing […]
Leadership: There’s No Place Like Sports, A Lesson from Big Joe
I am, unfortunately, a lifelong fan of the New York Jets. If losing truly builds character, then I have more than any one man deserves. Nothing better prepares you for life than rooting for a perennially losing sports team. The disappointments toughen you for whatever life has in store and remind you that tomorrow is […]