Greetings all! The Jersey has been out-of-pocket for a few weeks while on TDY but we can’t let this date pass without comment. Today, The Jersey turns 2, which seems like a long time since Post #1 went live in 2013. Now, 130 posts later, it will take the newcomer some time to sift through […]
Tag Archives: courage
November
11
Of Sheepdogs and Such
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
Many of you reading this post today are doing so from home because it is a holiday. Some of you are at work, because, hey, stuff doesn’t just stop for holidays. You may have taken in a parade this morning, or had to navigate around one to get to the office, or the store, or […]
October
19
If I Only Had Some Courage
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
Many leadership bloggers and “opiners” (like me) will often reference Aristotle’s description of courage as “the first virtue”. This statement is part of the debate about what critical human characteristics of our society (possible a Bill of Rights amendment, for example) are the “most” important. From my perspective, having one, and none other, seems a little light in […]
May
26
What’s In A Day?
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
The origins of Memorial Day as a federal holiday date back to the end of the Civil War and the spontaneous events and memorials that sprang up in the aftermath of such a cataclysmic event that cost the young nation almost a million souls. Over the next century, the occasion of marking remembrance to the […]
May
06
Appreciation
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
This being the occasion of Public Service Appreciation Week, it seems appropriate to take a moment and consider the act of appreciation, from the perspective of a leader. The power of appreciation is an awesome thing to behold. As young children, we were taught that “please” and “thank you” were required elements of just about […]
April
26
The Green Eyed Monster
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
Shakespeare’s use of jealousy, in families and governments, was a constant theme throughout his works. His use of this theme was consistent with the era and the predominance of the Catholic Church in those times. Envy was identified as one of the seven deadly sins by Pope Gregory and then used by Dante in his “Divine […]
March
07
How (and When) To Disagree With The Boss
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
There are several common pieces of DNA in every person who tends toward the leadership path in life. One of those common elements is a confidence in one’s own opinion or abilities that under the best of circumstances, can translate into the courage to seize opportunities as they occur, or make bold decisions when others hesitate. All good, […]
October
17
Your Own Kobayashi Maru – Leadership in a Crisis
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
For the Trekkie‘s amongst you, the K-Maru scenario has been fodder for uncountable arguments. In the fictional Star Trek universe, the Maru is a training simulation every Star Fleet cadet is put through. In essence, the decisions available to the student are all “no-win” and the entire exercise is about how you come to terms with […]
What Happens When The Music Stops? – Managing Conflict
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
One of the most critical moments for an organization is that point when a crisis looms. It might be brought on by a resource issue, and hard decisions had to be made about the way forward. Or, it could be because the organization just spent some time trying to figure out what was value added and what was […]
When Change Hurts
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
If you take the King’s shilling, as the quote goes, “you do the King’s bidding”. When the King starts to run out of shillings, things start to happen. One of the likely and predictable consequences of having a lesser number of shillings is the possibility that there might need to be a smaller organization in […]
June
21
Defining the “Rogue”
posted by Jeffrey Thomason
Webster’s defines “rogue” as a “scoundrel, scamp, or generally mischievous person”. In Nachbar and Lanse’s work “Popular Culture”, the tension between the hero as Rogue, and the hero as Citizen is represented in American popular culture in numerous ways. Americans admire their Citizen heroes and carve their faces and names in granite. Americans love their Rogue […]
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