The T3 Leadership Blog

Teamwork • Tone • Tenacity™

27 Dec

Posted at 20:03h in Blog
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Ulysses S. Grant was posthumously promoted to “General of the Armies of the United States," the nation’s highest rank on December 23rd, per a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act  signed by the President. The only other Americans so honored are George Washington and John Pershing.  Long overdue and well deserved! Grant’s inspirational style:  TEAMWORK:  Collaborated well with subordinates and his superior; President Lincoln. Devised a strategy to combine disjointed Eastern and Western Union land and naval forces with common purpose, a unified combat and cohesive logistics plan. His professional and personal relationship with fellow GEN William T. Sherman is legendary; a...

13 Aug

Posted at 20:51h in Blog
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Ben Hogan was born On This Date in 1912 in Texas. One of the greatest golfers of all time, he was one of only five men to win all four Major Championships (Career Grand Slam; the others are Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen).  His inspirational style:  PATRIOTIC TEAMWORK:  WWII Vet!  Golf is largely a one-person sport.  But when the nation called, Hogan left the PGA Tour and became a member of the greatest military team the world has ever known, the U.S. Armed Forces! FIERCELY COMPETITIVE TONE:  Few rivaled Hogan’s intense desire to win. “I play...

06 Aug

Posted at 20:13h in Blog
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On August 5, 1864, Admiral David Farragut defiantly ordered his ships, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” which led to victory at Mobile Bay!  Farragut’s inspirational leadership epitomized:  PATRIOTIC TEAMWORK:  A southerner, born in Tennessee, he was stationed in Norfolk, VA at the outbreak of the Civil War.  He opposed the South’s cause, and once Virginia seceded, he moved his family to New York and remained loyal to the Union. HISTORIC TONE:  “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” has since become a metaphor for courage in the face of adversity.  INCREDIBLE TENACITY:  Farragut joined the Navy as a Midshipman at...

31 Jul

Posted at 21:42h in Blog
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Thea Lindauer, decades-long benefactor to U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) Jewish Midshipmen, passed away in her sleep this past week, just days after celebrating her 100th birthday with family and friends at her Ginger Cove, Annapolis community. The inspirational Thea was “Above Fleet Average” in every way. Born in Germany, Thea escaped the Holocaust in the 1930’s and immigrated to America, where she met her husband Harry, now a blessed memory. He also escaped the Holocaust and immigrated here in the late 1930’s. COL Harry Lindauer, USA (Ret) fought in Europe in WWII and served until Vietnam. Following Harry’s active duty service,...

30 Jul

Posted at 21:07h in Blog
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 I have a rule of thumb … If you save my life, I will always accept the invitation to speak at your military ceremony. I did just that yesterday, at the retirement of the inspirational Navy Captain, MD, PhD, Orthopedic Oncologist, and head of the Department of Defense’s Osseointegration Program, Dr. Jonathan Forsberg. The ever-humble Dr. Forsberg is reluctant to admit that he saved my life when I was on the ropes with a Stage IV Bone Marrow Cancer (Multiple Myeloma - MM) diagnosis and facing osteosarcoma surgeries and a Stem Cell Transplant in 2015. But at a minimum, he will admit to saving...

19 Jul

Posted at 21:19h in Blog
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I decided to step in front of the camera on this one!   Check out the video below to learn more about how Admiral Rickover, Father of our Nuclear Navy, exemplified “The Three T’s” of leadership:  TEAMWORK: Masterfully built coalitions with Congress and the Departments of Defense and the Navy to pass his transformational programs TONE:  Maintained tough, exacting standards.  “The more you sweat in peace, the less you’ll bleed in war”  TENACITY:  He was fond of saying, “Success teaches nothing.  Only failure teaches”  And the Admiral knew something about tenacity … his 63 years in on active duty service from...

18 Jul

Posted at 07:23h in Blog
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I was a proud volunteer Mentor with the Severn Leadership Group (SLG’s) five-month program this year, paired with a Fellow (Protégé), Julian, from Deloitte Consulting LLP. SLG is a non-profit organization that’s been developing leaders of character, nationwide, for the past 10 years.  The 12 Fellows in this cohort were mid-career young professionals seeking to reach their full potential. The Mentors are established government and private sector leaders. When I first joined the program, I thought the benefit would go all to the Fellow (Protégés),  I was wrong.   Similar to Shakespeare’s reference to the quality of mercy in “The Merchant of...

10 Jul

Posted at 19:50h in Blog
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I was honored recently to be interviewed on Rear Admiral (Ret.) Garry Hall's award-winning podcast, “The Admiral’s Almanac.” Gary and I served in the Middle East together during the height of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.  He is an inspirational former Navy pilot, standard bearer of honor and has a sense of humor that’s second to none.  We discussed “T3” leadership … it’s origins, its impact and its applicability outside the Navy. Listen below or keep reading for the podcast recap. TEAMWORK:  The high-performing groups I admired most as part of big family, when watching TV and movies, as...

01 Jul

Posted at 07:17h in Blog
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THE “T3” LEADERSHIP JOURNEY BEGINS: INDUCTION DAY AT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY, CLASS OF 2026  June 30th was “I(nducation)-Day at the U.S. Naval Academy for approximately 1,200 young men and women.  The vast majority of these freshmen, known as “Plebes,” weren’t born on 9/11.  Over the next six weeks they’ll  undergo a strenuous physical and mental transition from civilian to military life.  For the first time in their young lives many will have no access to cellphones, internet, TV, movies or music!   My journey of public service and learning lessons of leadership began during Plebe Summer in July 1979 with the...

28 Jun

Posted at 22:56h in Blog
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Happy 96th birthday Mel Brooks b. (Melvin Kaminsky).  An iconic Comedians, Actor, Writer and  Film Maker.  A World War II Veteran and one of very few individuals to win the entertainment ‘Grand Slam’ of an Oscar, Tony, Grammy and Emmy award!  When I offer a light remark during a keynote address, it usually involves a reference to one of the gags from Mel’s decades of work.  His inspirational style:  TEAMWORK:  Mel famously built trust, comity and loyalty with his fellow writers and performers.  He envisioned comedy goals and worked hard to achieve them, selflessly sharing credit along the way fellow...