By Daniel Kull It is a truth universally acknowledged — military leaders are expected to deliver a coherent PowerPoint brief. You will be judged on your ability to communicate via PowerPoint. Do it well, and the people who write your evaluation will stroke their chins and nod approvingly. But do it poorly, and they will cluck their tongues and shake their heads. “A pity,” they’ll say, “that an otherwise excellent leader lacks the skill to communicate effectively. But alas! One must PowerPoint well to be promoted.” There exists no overarching doctrine on how best to construct a PowerPoint slid ..read more

by Christian A. Dionisio For the vast majority of Americans, the relentless pursuit of perfection is completely unreasonable, even irrational. In the profession of arms, however, the relentless pursuit of perfection is illuminated in our oath, essential to our effectiveness, and expected of us by the American public. Although perfection is an unattainable goal, the American people and our Soldiers deserve an officer corps that will perpetually pursue greatness. No exceptions. No excuses.   Naturally, I was fearful when in high school I received an appointment to West Point. I dreade ..read more

Former World Series of Poker Champion and best-selling author, Annie Duke, returns to the show to discuss the  concepts from her book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away.  Annie shares insights on how grit, often celebrated as a virtue, can also lead to sticking with paths that no longer serve us. Joe and Annie  draw parallels to other high-profile figures like Jerry Seinfeld and Will Smith, who chose to step down from projects at the pinnacle of their careers. They also dive into Joe’s decision to retire from the Army. During the episode Joe and Annie discuss t ..read more

by Brian McDonough Arguably one of the most discussed but neglected concepts among Army Leaders is one’s self-development. Every day leaders must balance responsibilities to their organization, their soldiers, their families, and themselves. Leading soldiers at any echelon is one of the most rewarding privileges one can have. However, leaders often neglect self-development in their attempt to achieve balance. Within the Army Profession, all Leaders must continually develop themselves as students of the Profession of Arms. FM 6-22 Developing Leaders states, “The gravity of the Army mission and ..read more

by Aidan Looney As a West Point Cadet, I often hear that the academy is a leadership laboratory. Cadets are given the space and opportunities to experiment in leadership and learn how they want to lead before going out to the operational Army.  In this leadership laboratory, I had several formative experiences both as a trainee and a trainer in West Point’s version of basic training. Afterwards, a mentor recommended I read Kim Scott’s Just Work: Get Shit Done Fast and Fair. Reading this book helped me organize my thoughts on building a cohesive and effective team. From it I learned a gre ..read more

by Brian Disque As a leader, have you ever wished your team would “take more initiative?” Or perhaps you personally have wanted to take more initiative and were unsure of your options? Have you ever reflected on what it really means to take initiative and how it occurs? Maybe you have been considering how to assess and encourage the degree to which your subordinates display initiative? Ask any leader what personal attributes they value, and most will list “takes initiative” near the top. Initiative is “the attribute of an empowered individual, armed with the knowledge of a greater plan and pu ..read more

by Meaghan Parchert “Leadership in a democratic Army means firmness, not harshness; understanding, not weakness; justice, not license; humaneness, not intolerance; generosity, not selfishness; pride, not egotism.” – GEN Omar Bradley Objectively, I had a successful career in the Army. However, I let my ego get the best of me, and, ultimately, it was responsible for my greatest failure. Because of my ego, I am medically retiring at 34 years old—permanently disabled after 11 years of service.   I write this reflection as I transition to a career in public education, hoping that my unfo ..read more

Colin Stevens, author of  Make Your Mark: Lessons from Legends for a Life of Fulfillment and Impact,  joins the show to share his inspiring story of chasing a dream that didn’t pan out the way he thought it would and the lessons he’s learned along the way.  Joe and Colin talk about the following topics: The importance of self-belief for achieving success  Why we should study  the  “full game” over the “highlight reel”.  Leadership through transparency and owning mistakes. The impact of social media on young athletes’ mental health. How to develop resil ..read more

If you are interested in writing for From the Green Notebook, or curious to learn more, please attend this webinar on May 3, 2024. It will include information on FTGN’s history, background, audience, readership, and a Q&A portion on writing for FTGN. If you register on this Google Form, we will email you the Zoom link to participate. You may share this link with colleagues, but we encourage colleagues to individually register. The post May 3rd Prospective Writers Information Webinar appeared first on From the Green Notebook ..read more

by Mike Martino “Someone got Sir off topic again…” Forty of us, students at the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course (IBOLC), were huddled into a corner of Building 466A listening to our platoon tactical trainer. We were supposed to be discussing engagement area development through the lens of Musicians of Mars, a popular vignette published by the Center for Army Lessons Learned. However, a question from a lieutenant had sent our instructor off-topic. This accidental detour led to a conversation that forever shaped my view of leadership and influenced my conduct as an Army officer. Replying t ..read more