TD’s blog has moved!
Browse legacy articles here, or find current content by TD Smyers
on the Long Game Consulting blog.
Tango 5
When something goes wrong in Navy aviation, it’s called a “mishap”. When it goes tragically wrong - the kind of wrong that leaves someone dead or strikes an entire aircraft from the Navy’s inventory - it’s called a “Class A mishap”. It didn’t take the Navy Safety Center long to determine the Tango 5 fire to be a Class A mishap.
Had we caused the fire? Had we contributed to it?
The Anthrax Crucible
This story opens up with a topic that is very contemporary and very controversial - mandatory vaccinations.Especially today, with the workforce in flux and facing new requirements amidst a deluge of conflicting and confusing information, it's crucial that leaders wield every skill in their repertoire to successfully navigate their teams through uncertain times.
Beyond the Rules
Operating under the rules is safe, but exploration beyond them is where all discovery originates. A bold leader's goal should be to lead like my wife Barbara cooks - understanding the recipe well enough to know when and how to depart from it.
A Recipe for Bold
Bold isn't fearless. Fearless doesn't exist in the sane, rational leader. Courage certainly does, but courage is different. Courage isn't the absence of fear. It's the conquest of it.In fact, in my experience bold isn't homogenous at all. It's a complex mix of sometimes competing traits. A good analogy this time of year is to think of bold as a kind of stew. A hearty recipe with just a few key ingredients.
Welcome Aboard A Bold Leader!
If doing what you're convinced is the right thing in the face of strong opposition makes you bold, then I guess I'm a bold leader. I never really aspired to boldness, and I didn't choose the title of this project to reflect my own leadership path. I chose it as a clarion call - something to inspire the many leaders, seasoned and new, I hope will read this stuff and grow from it.