Leader / Communicator / Adventurer
I completed my first college degree at Lee University in 2001. One of the most important factors for why I chose Lee is the school’s unapologetic Christian grounding. I wanted to study in an environment that would not marginalize me as a Christian. Not every student at Lee is a Christian. Not every professing Christian … Continue reading Principle Matters, especially at a Christian University
Lori and I attended the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) last week. It was the fourth year in a row for me. A friend introduced me to the two-day summit in 2015. It has been a must-attend every since. I look forward to learning from world class leaders and authors who have diverse backgrounds in areas … Continue reading Re-birthing the Global Leadership Summit as Sexual Crisis Rages
The term strategic is officially reserved for echelons that few in government will work in without winning an election or political appointment. Most military public affairs officers (PAOs) technically work at tactical and operational levels, not strategic. Echelon naming conventions aside, the best communicators think and operate strategically. “Strategic” is one of those seemingly professional … Continue reading Strategery: the Strategy of going Strategic
Last month White House Communication Director, Hope Hicks, became the latest professional communicator to make headlines when she admitted to lying on behalf of her employer. Honesty is a key value that PR industry codes of ethics demand, whether it be the Arthur W. Page Society, the Public Relations Society of America or the International … Continue reading Focus, Honest Capability Assessment and Geography Matters: 3 Fundamentals I have learned as a Military Communication Officer
Yesterday another school shooting happened. A monstrous human being used a gun to murder and terrorize innocent young men and women in Florida. This has happened before. As a nation, we collectively mourn and look for ways to direct our anger at making sure this never happens again. It is right and just to seek … Continue reading The Problem with Immediate Blame
The Army is the largest military service in the U.S. Department of Defense. The Army’s public affairs (PA) program traces its history back to Gen. Douglass McArthur. As a young officer serving overseas, he is said to have believed in the importance of communicating soldiers’ stories to the public back in the states. That directive … Continue reading Introducing Professional Ethics to the Army Public Affairs Program
It’s that magical time of year again: when political theater of the absurd engages in a “government shutdown.” Government shutdowns used to mean something to me. The first government shutdown I remember happened in 1995, during the Clinton presidency. A second 21-day shutdown in 1996 made much more of an impact. Federal shutdowns became more … Continue reading Lights, Camera, Shutdown!
