Leadership Stories
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WWII as a Guide to Corporate Decision-Making
What does a war fought eighty years ago have to do with your company? John points to Eisenhower before D-Day and Nimitz at Midway.
Trust in Leadership: Lessons from World War II and "The Speed of Trust"
Trust in leaders is falling. John pairs Stephen M.R. Covey's The Speed of Trust with World War II leaders who earned it under fire.
Echoes of the Past: How World War II Still Resonates in Our Lives
John remembers the WWII veterans at his family's dealership, and asks who will tell their stories once the last of them are gone.
What I've Learned from "Oppenheimer," "One Life," and "Masters of the Air"
Three recent productions about World War II left John optimistic. Here's what Oppenheimer, One Life, and Masters of the Air taught him.
Lives in Parallel: The Reforms of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great
John has walked the Kremlin and the Winter Palace. Here he compares two rulers who forced Russia to change: Peter the Great and Catherine the Great.
Titans of Rome: The Parallel Journeys of Julius Caesar and Augustus
Caesar crossed the Rubicon. Augustus made haste slowly. John compares two Roman leaders and what their styles teach about power.
"Memento Mori" Sisu
Time magazine introduced Americans to sisu in 1940, as Finland fought off the Red Army. John on the Finnish word for refusing to quit.
A Handshake with History: Remembering the Bedford Boys
In Bedford, Virginia, John shook hands with the sister of a soldier killed on Omaha Beach, then found her at her brother's grave.
Leadership Lessons from Gettysburg: What the Battle Can Teach Us About Making Decisions on the Fly
Meade had command for three days before Gettysburg. John contrasts his adaptive approach with Lee's fixed plan and what it means for leaders.
Why Tour Battlefields? Drawing Parallels Between Our Shared History and Challenges in Modern Leadership
John and an old friend still remember lessons from staff rides at Antietam and in the Ardennes. Here's why he takes leaders to battlefields.
How You Can Honor Our D-Day Veterans
On the 79th anniversary of D-Day, John offers practical ways to honor the veterans while some are still here to thank.
Bridging the "Civil-Military" Chasm in Leadership
John argues the gap between military and civilian life hides a reservoir of shared leadership lessons waiting to be unlocked.
The Value of a Veteran
He wrote "Don't Want To Fight" on his draft card, then captured 132 Germans. John on what Alvin York did after he came home.
Memorial Day: Honoring Sacrifice and Uniting Communities
Columbus, Mississippi. Waterloo, New York. Charleston, South Carolina. John traces the many origins of Memorial Day.
From Battlefield to Boardroom, and All Points In Between
"You guys in the military just don't know how much you're worth." John on the breakfast that changed how he saw a veteran's skills.
The Common Shared Leadership Experience
At Concord, Gettysburg, the Delaware, and Omaha Beach, the ground itself asks the question. John on learning leadership where it happened.
Why I Love to Visit Cemeteries: A Journey Through Time, History, and Connection
John's kids cringe when he suggests a cemetery detour. His dad did the same thing to him. Here's why he keeps going.
The Living History Book: A 94-Year-Old World War II Veteran's Journey
Harry Miller lied about his age to join the Army, passed shells in a Sherman at the Bulge, and later helped plan B-52 strikes. Lunch with a living history book.
FDR's Radio Address: Prayer on D-Day, June 6, 1944
On the night of June 6, 1944, Franklin Roosevelt didn't give a speech. He led the nation in prayer. John on why it mattered.
Honoring a Family's Sacrifice: The Story of Three WWII Brothers and the Lone Survivor Among Them
Two Lantow brothers jumped into Normandy with the 101st. Only their brother Larry, a tank officer, came home. John tells the Oklahoma family's story.