Commentaries

  • To hell with “it”

    Have you had a life altering moment? Not like dodging a car accident that made your heart skip a few beats. I’m talking about a moment where the fundamentals of who you are become questioned.

  • Is it usable?

    We know the universal question of what systems win battles and what makes us boil. Is it usable?

  • Professional development: Big rocks first

    There is a remarkably effective object lesson about sand, rocks and water representing all the things you need to do and how to make them fit into your “jar” of life, and knowing how it works can give you more time to do the things that matter most. Spoiler alert: The secret to this puzzle is to put

  • Do your job: The key to mission success

    For me, Coach Bill Belichick’s ask of his players, “Do your job…take care of your responsibility and just do it right,” succinctly defines what is expected of us as Airmen (uniformed and civilian) as we collectively seek victory (mission success) in a game we cannot lose. And, to be fair, while this

  • Leading through grief

    “Why am I so sad today?” a leader remarked in the middle of a meeting. We were discussing the updated pandemic restrictions, how to lead in this challenging environment and how to instill some hope. His comment reflected a common emotion; this feeling of sadness and hopelessness, despite that

  • Ascending to spiritually mature leadership

    Imagine for a moment a four-tiered fountain. The bottom basin is broad, but shallow, and each next higher level of the fountain gets progressively narrower, but deeper, until the narrowest and deepest tier at the top of the fountain. Representing stages of spiritual maturity, each next tier up the

  • Filling the 'white space'

    Quiet times of reflection are crucial to innovation and creativity. For me the best solutions, decisions, ideas, and connections develop when I am reflecting either by myself or with others, when I am taking time to listen with no agenda, when I am not in a rush to move on to the next event.

  • Desert Storm veteran influences daughter’s call to service

    The 30th anniversary of Desert Storm was Jan. 17, 2021, and I have come to the quick realization that my biggest motivation for joining the military in the first place was my father, former Staff Sgt. Larry Shanes of the U.S. Marines.

  • Being a good wingman….What does it really mean?

    In the Air Force, we talk a lot about being a wingman, but what does that really mean? I'm sure if you polled your fellow Airmen, those answers would vary significantly. The wingman concept is probably most notably known for its use in the fighter community. By positioning their aircraft just behind

  • How to be a great wingman

    What does it mean to be a great wingman? Does it mean you say hello to everyone you come in contact with regularly? Does it mean you make yourself available to everyone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? If you answered yes to all, then you are on the right track.