Target the Toxicity and Crush It
In 2006 I was a young officer commanding a troop of 36 soldiers in Kandahar, Afghanistan. There, we were met by the Taliban—a fierce and tenacious enemy with very little to lose and everything to gain. Notwithstanding our vast technological superiority, they were a skilled insurgent force, capable of exploiting our weaknesses. But one does […]
Nurturing Your First Team: How Teamwork Builds a Resilient Home
When you think about teamwork, the first thing that may come to mind is your office or the sports field. But have you ever thought of your family as your first team? Patrick Lencioni, known for his groundbreaking work on the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, proposes a powerful question: “What is your first team?” […]
Habits and Goals- Part Two
For almost half a year, I grounded myself in working towards a fitness goal. I found a great sense of purpose when I was making progress and consistently improving. In my life, goals have acted as a roadmap and helped me understand myself better. When I reflect on the stages of my life, many of […]
From Habits and Goals to Team Success
In the fall of 2019, I embarked on a transformative journey to reassess my habits and set meaningful goals for myself. One of those goals was to improve my fitness. Over 18 weeks, I participated in a fitness challenge that taught me about health and strength and revealed the incredible power of habits, goal-setting, and […]
Experiential Vertigo
Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn’t tell which way was up? Now imagine having that same feeling submerged deep underwater with a depleting supply of oxygen. This feeling, known as alternobaric vertigo, can strike scuba divers during periods of transition from one pressure zone to another, temporarily rendering them unable to […]
Here Be Dragons: Navigating the Unknown
The phrase “Here be dragons” has captivated imaginations for centuries. Ancient cartographers are often credited with using this term to denote uncharted territories on their maps, suggesting that these areas were fraught with dangers and unknown perils. Although no historical maps explicitly contain the phrase “Here be dragons,” the concept remains a powerful metaphor for […]
The After Action Review: The Golden Ticket to Continuous Learning
The After Action Review (AAR) is a critical tool for driving continuous improvement and strategic learning in military and business contexts. Originating from military practices, AARs have proven invaluable in fostering adaptability and resilience, making them essential for organizations seeking to thrive in dynamic environments. Understanding After Action Reviews Definition and Origin: An AAR is […]
Survival “Tent” Routine: COVID-19 (Part 6)
Part 6: The Four Legs of Your Personal Resilience Table This is the last blog in the COVID-19 Survival Tent Routine series. This blog’s focus is on personal resilience. Resilience is the capacity to resist, recover from, and even thrive in the face of adversity. Resilience is an iterative process, not a static state. The […]
Survival “Tent” Routine: COVID-19 (Part 5)
Part 5: The Foot Check [Guest Author Dr. Peter Ceponis] “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” ~Abraham Lincoln By now, during these times of physical (social) distancing, you have no doubt adapted to a new routine. The most appropriate military analogy […]
Survival “Tent” Routine: COVID-19 (Part 4)
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” ~Seneca While in uniform, I was introduced to the concept of a PACE Plan. Pace is an acronym for: Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency. This equates to a hierarchy of sub-plans or means & methods to accomplish the mission (or elements […]