The T3 Leadership Blog

Teamwork • Tone • Tenacity™

07 Feb

Posted at 02:34h in Blog
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During this Super Bowl LV week, one of the NFL’s all-time great champions celebrated his 79th birthday: Roger Staubach.  “Roger The Dodger” was a role model leader in every way, demonstrating “Teamwork, Tone, Tenacity” on and off the field.  He was a two-time Super Bowl Champ during 11 years as the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback from 1969-1980, a Super Bowl MVP, the Heisman Trophy winner in 1963 as a Midshipman at the U.S Naval Academy (the last Service Academy player to win the Heisman), a Naval Officer who served in Vietnam and a successful entrepreneur and businessman following his athletic career. ...

31 Jan

Posted at 15:11h in Blog
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Leaders blaze trails where others haven’t traveled. They accept risk, demonstrate courage and display resolve in order to achieve goals.  Jackie Robinson was such an inspirational, trail-blazing leader.  Born on January 31,1919 in Georgia, the grandson of slaves, he not only changed the history of sports but the history of America when in 1947 he became the first African American to play Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Brooklyn Dodgers  Jackie wasn’t just a showpiece. He was a Rookie of the Year, two years later the league's Most Valuable Player and then a stalwart on the Dodgers’ 1955 World Series...

24 Jan

Posted at 02:09h in Blog
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Frank Shankwitz, co-founder of the "Make-A-Wish" Foundation, passed away yesterday from cancer at age 78 in Prescott, AZ.  Frank was my friend. I've rarely known a more inspirational leader or caring human being. We first met in NYC as recipients of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award some years ago. Frank and I later shared the stage as motivational keynote speakers. An ardent patriot, former member of the USAF and an Arizona Highway Patrolman, Frank co-founded “Make-A-Wish” in 1980. Throughout his amazing life, he was an exemplar “T3” servant leader, always putting others before self. Here’s how: TEAMWORK:  ...

15 Jan

Posted at 03:22h in Blog
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born January, 15 1929.  He was more than America’s greatest civil rights leader.  He was one of America’s greatest leaders, period. A Nobel Peace Prize winner, he is the only non-President to have a national holiday named in their honor.  Inspirational leaders have a vision of what needs to be done and the energetic drive that influences others to help them achieve common goals.  MLK did that and more.  He built coalitions, always chose the inspirational, non-violent high road and persevered with purpose in pursuit of racial equality.  Examples of his “T3” leadership style include:  TEAMWORK:  MLK...

08 Jan

Posted at 11:58h in Blog
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Elvis Presley, “The King of Rock ’n Roll” was born January 8, 1935.   He was a daring, charismatic pioneer of a new style music (and dance moves).  His fusion of white country and black rhythm & blues changed American pop culture forever.   As a leader, Elvis was the full package of “Teamwork, Tone, Tenacity®” (T3). TEAMWORK:   Extraordinarily generous with charitable organizations and inpiduals throughout his career.  Beloved by his backup performers and business colleagues: "The Jordanaires,” "The Taking Care of Business Band" and “The Memphis Mafia.”  Elvis was especially public service minded: In 1956 his polio vaccine was...

05 Jan

Posted at 22:25h in Blog
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Joan of Arc, Patron Saint of France, was born January 6, 1412.  The  legendary heroine is known for her devout religious belief, intrepid devotion to duty and distinctive ability to motivate others.  She was a “T3” exemplar, demonstrating historic “Teamwork, Tone, Tenacity®”.  Here’s some specifics: TEAMWORK:  Successfully planned and led a French Army's audacious assault to break the English Siege at Orleans at age 17.  This was a turning point of The Hundred Years War and fulfilled a prophecy she delivered to King Charles VII.  Wounded twice, Joan returned to the front each time to motivate her troops.  She subsequently planned...

30 Dec

Posted at 16:20h in Blog
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The clock in Navy Rear Admiral Grace Hopper’s office ran counterclockwise!  “Amazing Grace” - as she was known by admirers - saw things differently and urged others to think unconventionally when tackling tough tasks.  This pioneering computer scientist and programmer was the driving force behind the invention of COBOL plus other modern programming languages and was the first to use the word “bug” for an IT problem when she discovered a moth inside a malfunctioning mainframe! Admiral Hopper’s role model leadership broke gender barriers in previously male dominated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields.  Her soft spoken subject matter expertise built...

07 Sep

Posted at 14:58h in Blog
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“A Sense of Humor is part of the Art Of Leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower.                    A leader’s use of humor is a serious matter.  One of America’s greatest leaders in peace, crisis and combat, President Eisenhower, strongly believed this and spoke to with deep credibility.  American business executives believe it too.  According to a 2017 Robert Half survey, 79% of polled C-Suite officers believe a sense of humor is important for fitting in with corporate culture and career advancement.   I’ve always admired a...

07 Jul

Posted at 00:36h in Blog, Uncategorized
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A statue of the inspirational Medal of Honor recipient Vice Admiral James Stockdale (1923-2005) belongs in “The Garden of American Heroes,” a new national monument to be built per Executive Order.  Admiral Stockdale’s motivational example of indomitable patriotism and intrepid leadership occurred when he was America’s senior Prisoner of War (POW) in North Vietnam from 1965-73, all the while braving life-threatening hardships.  The Admiral’s refusal to cooperate with his captors under conditions of torture and solitary confinement was the impetus for a culture of POW resistance that included ways to communicate and govern behavior which strengthened morale, bolstered faith in...

11 Jun

Posted at 14:32h in Blog
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June 11th is Jacques Cousteau’s birthday (1910). The Frenchman inspired generations as a world-famous maritime explorer, conservationist and  filmmaker.  His aquatic accomplishments are legendary, but so are his leadership skills which internationally influenced others to become involved with maritime ecology.  What made Cousteau’s style so special? It was his impassioned application of “T3.” TEAMWORK:  A Naval Officer and Frogman who first came to international prominence by revolutionizing underwater diving, Cousteau co-developed the Aqua-Lung (forerunner of today’s SCUBA).  He used his  military team-building skills to inclusively partner with scientists adventurers, ecologists, authors and even musicians (“Calypso” - named for Cousteau’s Research...