TEAMWORK: Built and led spectacularly successful groups as Cowboy, NYC Police Commissioner, military Rough Rider, Asst. SECNAV and NY Governor. TONE: Inspirational proponent of rugged individualism and national virtues. Preached and practiced the value of living a meaningful, strenuous life ...
I had the good fortune to meet with Jonson & Johnson (JnJ) CEO, Alex Gorsky in Arlington, VA recently. Alex is a 1982 West Point graduate and was an Army Ranger and Infantry Officer for six years before joining the business world. Since becoming CEO in 2012, he has continuously improved JnJ’s value, global market share and employee satisfaction. How? A focus on the JnJ “Credo,” which challenges JnJ employees to place the needs and well being of the people they serve first. The credo is literally etched in stone in the company’s main lobby. Written in 1943 by former...
Last week I wore a uniform for the first time since retiring from the Navy two years ago. There are typically only two occasions when veterans put back on the cloth of their country: A Military Ceremony When asked to Promote The Orthopedic Oncologist Who Saved Their Life! I couldn’t have been prouder to do so, and to be speaker for the inspirational Captain Jonathan Forsberg, USN, Professor of Surgery and Director of the DoD's Osseointegration Program at the Walter Reed National Medical Medical Center in Washington, DC. Dr. Forsberg is the full motivational package of "Teamwork, Tone, Tenacity™” (T3)! We first met...
I normally write about motivational leaders whose “Teamwork, Tone, Tenacity” serve as an inspiration to others. Sometimes the focus on just one person isn’t enough to accurately portray the magnitude of contributions from so many over a sustained period of time. In such circumstances it’s appropriate to highlight the accomplishment itself T3 worthy. That’s the case with the Panama Canal. I’m partial to this marvel because I transited through it in 1984 aboard the U.S. Navy’s Battleship USS IOWA (BB 61)! One of the eight engineering “Wonders of the Modern World,” the Canal opened this month in 1914. The T3 build...
Annie Oakley is an American icon of the old West. Born August 13, 1860, she was a famous American during her day and proved women were capable of so much more when given a chance. The Annie Oakley story became famous because of her performances in the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show which traveled the world in the late 1800’s. As a sharpshooter, Oakley learned her skills out of necessity, hunting game near her rural Ohio home. A champion for women's causes, Oakley advocated strongly for female service in the military and penned a letter to President William McKinley in1898 offering...
The Apollo 11 mission achieved what no other person in history had done before. As the first humans on another planetary body, NASA astronauts landed, July 20, 1969 on the surface of the moon. As best said by Astronaut Neil Armsrong, “That’s one small leap for man, one giant leap for mankind.” This quote has echoed through the decades and continues to resonate with messages of tremendous character, poise, and determination. The Apollo 11 mission is a monumental example of “T3” principles: Teamwork: For many years, NASA contributed to the historic mission’s success. Despite the setback of Apollo 1, NASA and the...
VADM James Stockdale, USN (Ret) passed away 13 years ago this month. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for inspirational and ethical leadership as America’s senior POW in Vietnam for nearly eight years. His five timeless lessons of being a Moralist, Jurist, Teacher, Steward and Philosopher live on today. Moralist: Commitment to a personal code of conduct Jurist: Establish guidance which can be implemented in times of adversity Teacher: Set the example of self-discipline, establishing a motivational climate and creating organizational pride Steward: Serve as the standard for personal commitment and loyalty Philosopher: Be able to reason, explain...
As a tribute to the nation’s oldest celebration, Independence Day represents courage, conviction, and commitment to ideals so powerful they still hold true today. On July 4, 1776, fifty-two delegates from thirteen colonies signed the Declaration of Independence to separate from Great Britain. This significant document exhibits how the founding fathers had to take charge and responsibility to do something that had never been done before. Colonial Americans broke away from their mother country and declare themselves free. Every word of the declaration was carefully chosen by the founding fathers on leadership, teamwork, and commitment. The T3 principles align with their...
To celebrate Martha Washington’s June 13 birthday is a great honor. She, a military spouse, understood her vital role to support the success of her husband in peace, crisis, and combat. Long separations from her military husband, Mrs. Washington endured hardship and grief while she remained strong and supportive of her husband’s military mission. As the nation celebrated it’s first commander and chief, Martha Washington found herself filling in at home and providing comfort to other military wives who found themselves in the same situation. Like her husband, Mrs. Washington was an exemplary leader and showed it through her own teamwork,...
This week marks the anniversaries of two of events that changed the course of history; The Battle of Midway in the Pacific, and D-Day in Europe in1942 and 1944, respectively. Each provide timeless takeaways on value of “Teamwork, Tone and Tenacity”...