The T3 Leadership Blog

Teamwork • Tone • Tenacity™

07 Oct

Posted at 10:54h in Blog
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The visionary Norwegian adventurers and ethnographer, Thor Heyerdahl, was born October 6, 1902.  He treated oceans as bridges, not barriers.  Heyerdahl is most famous for his 1947 “Kon Tiki” expedition.  He sailed 5,000 miles across the eastern Pacific in 101 days on a hand-built 40-square-foot raft to demonstrate ancient peoples could have conducted long sea voyages from South America - Polynesia to establish contact between societies.  I read a book about the expedition in elementary school and wanted to be an adventurer!  A 1952 documentary film about Kon-Tiki  was awarded an Oscar.  During Heyerdahl’s “Ra II” expedition of 1970, he...

05 Oct

Posted at 21:43h in Blog
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Ray Kroc, the inspirational founder of the McDonald's Corporation and its CEO from 1968-1984, was born in Oak Park, IL on this date in 1902.  A transformational leader who changed America’s dining lifestyle, Kroc is credited turning McDonald's into the world’s most successful fast food corporation.  He was also owner of the San Diego Padres of MLB from 1974 until his death in 1984, when the Padres appeared in their first World Series. His motivational style included:  TEAMWORK: “None of Us is as Good as All of Us.”  Kroc was a hard charging perfectionist when it came to McDonald's food...

12 Aug

Posted at 10:44h in Blog
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Happy B’Day Julius Rosenwald (1862), Best known as part-owner of Sears, Roebuck and Co +  establishing the Julius Rosenwald Fund which donated $Millions to promote education and build nearly 5,000 schools  mainly in rural Southern African American communities.  About 500 still exist,   a few operate as schools but most that have been restored are community centers/museums.  His inspirational “T3” leadership style: TEAMWORK: Collaborative owner-operator of one of America’s largest retail stores; Sears, Roebuck & Co. Oversaw the implementation of the “schedule system” that allowed departments to ship orders the same day, and orders from multiple departments the next day; an amazing...

07 Jul

Posted at 15:38h in Blog
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Happy Birthday (1747) John Paul Jones, America’s first inspirational maritime hero. Jones established the standard of courage and professionalism that defines our Navy today.  The Scottish born Jones’ aggressive actions against the British in their home waters influenced a new nation and sent a message to the world that the American Navy was a new force to be reckoned with.  There’s rarely a keynote address when I don’t reference some aspect of Jones’ remarkable leadership style:   TEAMWORK:  On the qualifications of being a Naval Officer (which is still taught at the U.S. Naval Academy today as a pillar of...

29 Jun

Posted at 02:58h in Blog
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Happy B’Day Mel Brooks, b. (Melvin Kaminsky) OTD 1926. Inspirational Comedian, Actor, Writer, Film Maker.  One of very few to win Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.  Mel’s leadership style:  TEAMWORK:  Famously built trust, comity and loyalty with others.  Envisioned goals and inspired collaborators to achieve them while selflessly sharing credit with colleagues and co-stars. His partnership with the late Carl Reiner in “2000 Year Old Man" skits is comedy genius TONE:  “Patriotic WWII Vet; Combat Engineer who fought in the Battle of the Bulge.  Mel’s courageous boundary-breaking slapstick, parodies and satire took on social norms. “Being stupid and politically incorrect...

28 Jun

Posted at 12:56h in Blog
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Happy B’Day Helen Keller, 1880.  Lost sight and hearing at 19 months due to illness. Overcame extreme adversity and became an inspirational author, lecturer and advocate for the disabled.  Changed society’s views of the disabled.  Helped make braille the standard of writing for the blind.Her success attributed to:  TEAMWORK:  Met her “Miracle Worker” teacher Ann Sullivan in 1887. Their efforts together allowed Helen to flourish via a uniquely adapted touch teaching method. Shared comfort, companionship and humor with Mark Twain for more than a decade; he called her “The Eighth Wonder of the World!” “I can feel the twinkle of...

02 Jun

Posted at 12:38h in Blog
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PRIDE OF THE YANKEES “T3” LEADERSHIP! Lou Gehrig, one of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history,   died of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) OTD in 1941 at age 38.  ALS is now known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”  Lou personified selfless service to teammates, shared an incomparable optimism while battling terminal illness and demonstrated dogged determination to perform as well as he could as long as he could.  His inspirational leadership style emphasized:  TEAMWORK: More important than his Hall of Fame statistics, Lou was Captain of six World Series championship teams in the 1920’s and 30’s.  A servant leader, Lou...

20 May

Posted at 13:12h in Blog
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Marquis de Lafayette, the American patriot and French revolutionary, died OTD in 1834 at age 76. He was France’s greatest export to our new nation fighting for freedom.  An inspirational and tireless fighter for liberty and human rights.   Fayetteville, North Carolina, Lafayette, Indiana and several other U.S. cities named for him.  One of the few non-Americans with a U.S Navy ship named in his honor:  USS LAFAYETTE (SSBN 616), a nuclear ballistic missile submarine which served from 1963-1991.  Lafayette’s  leadership style included:  TEAMWORK: Fought with our Continental Army in New England, the South and mid-Atlantic including final victory at...

30 Apr

Posted at 13:05h in Blog
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Leaders with a sense of humor know how to relieve workplace stress, inspire creativity and enhance productivity.  The most inspirational leaders I’ve served with in the military and corporate sector had a great sense of humor.  They weren’t comics, but they knew how to use well timed laughs to diffuse tension, influence behavior and improve organizational performance.  This week marked the birthdays of three prominent leaders with a funny bone: Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld and Bugs Bunny (his first cartoon appeared in April 1936).  Each led in the following “T3” ways: JAY: TEAMWORK: Inclusive, always made others feel welcome TONE: Optimistic. Humble. Tasteful....

03 Apr

Posted at 16:49h in Blog
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I most often write about individuals’ leadership traits that inspire others and lead to success.  It’s easy to associate valor and accomplishment with a single person. But occasionally an event or an entire organization takes on iconic significance. Those events’ images and memories motivate and remind us of collective triumphs.   That is the case here.   On This Date in 1860, the first Pony Express service began moving mail from Missouri to California (at $5 per ounce).  It covered 1900 miles in an amazing 10 DAYS!  It was an innovative way to overcome an incredibly difficult obstacle.  The Pony Express...