The Odyssey of Leadership

A Special Tribute to our Nation's Veterans - The High Ground Movie Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:23:00 +0000

With every decision to commit our nation's most precious resources to combat comes a price that is hard to quantify. While this movie's focus is on the personal struggles and triumph of eleven veterans from our most recent wars, the individual struggles of these veterans represent the enduring courage of those who go into harm's way at our nation's request and are forever changed.

M

How the Led can change the Leader - Forbes.com

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:51:00 +0000

I recently had the distinct privilege to co-author an article for Forbes.com with Leadership Coach and CEO of N2Growth, Mr. Mike Myatt (Picture left), on one of my favorite concepts - how an organization affects the leadership growth of its leader. Mike graciously offered an opportunity to share development of his weekly column and I hope you enjoy the result!

Here's a sample...

"The reality is that the ‘led’ have more of an impact on a leader’s growth over their career than any individual mentor/leader. After all, the led are the group that will accept or reject a leader’s actions, words, and decisions. This acceptance or rejection..."
http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2012/01/17/how-the-led-can-change-the-leader/

Giving a Chance to Succeed - Who is Sitting on Your Bench?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:46:00 +0000

This CBS News story is five+ years old (March 2006) but you still can't help but smile, marvel and be inspired by Jason McElwain. Sports has always served as a leadership laboratory for youth, a place where they can risk and learn to work collaboratively for something greater than themselves.

The lessons from this story are many, but here are my 'Top Five', the ones I think are most important:

1 - Never judge a team member's ability to contribute without giving them the chance to succeed.
2 - Inspired performance by one member of the team will unfailingly inspire the rest.
3 - As a leader/coach you must follow your instinct and challenge the 'norm' with action.
4 - Leaders/coaches have the power to change lives - every single day.
5 - Is there someone on your bench you haven't 'pointed to' yet?

What lesson do you 'take away' from this amazing story?

Who is sitting on your bench?

Teamwork Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:39:00 +0000

What You Learn While You Lead Stays With You.

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:44:00 +0000

The transcript of this speech came to me via email sometime in 2004 and it resonated enough that I have kept it in my files ever since. The speech was given at a cadet "Dining In," a traditional, formal military officers' dinner held to honor the unit's history and build comraderie amongst warriors. Then LTC Guy Lofaro has an outstanding reputation as a true scholar-Soldier and his words provide exceptional insight into the values and dedication of those who serve in uniform. While the words are nearly 11 years old, the sentiments are timeless and worth sharing again.

"Let me say before beginning, that it has been my pleasure to attend several dinings-in here at West Point and hence, I have some basis for comparison. You people have done a fine job and you ought to congratulate yourselves.

In fact, why don't we take this time to have the persons who were responsible for this event, stand, so we can acknowledge them publicly. I guess I am honored with these invitations because there exists this rumor that I can tell a story. Cadets, who I have had in class, sometimes approach me beforehand and request that, during my speech, I tell some of the stories I've told them in class.

For the longest time I have resisted this. I simply didn't think this the right forum for story-telling, so I tried instead, with varying degrees of success, to use this time to impart some higher lesson - some thought that would perhaps stay with one or two of you a little longer than the 10 or 15 minutes I will be standing here. I tried this again last week at another dining-in and I bombed. Big time. Of course, the cadets didn't say that. They said all the polite things - "Thank you, sir, for those inspiring words - You've provided us much food for thought - We all certainly learned something from you tonight, sir." And I'm thinking - yeah - you learned something all right. You learned never to invite that SOB to be a dining-in speaker again.

So in the interim, I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about what I would say to you tonight. What can I say that will stay with you? And as I reflected on this I turned it on myself - what stays with me? What makes a mark on me? What do I remember, and why? How have I learned the higher lessons I so desperately want to impart to you? Well - I've learned those higher lessons through experience. And as I thought further, I realized that there's only one way to relate experience - that is to tell some stories.

So I'm going to try something new here this evening. I'm going to give you your stories and attempt to relate what I've learned by living them. I'm going to let you crawl inside my eye-sockets and see some of the things I've seen these past 18 years.

Imagine you are a brand new second lieutenant on a peacekeeping mission in the Sinai Peninsula . You are less than a year out of West Point , and only a few weeks out of the basic course. You are standing at a strict position of attention in front of your battalion commander, a man you will come to realize was one of the finest soldiers with whom you've ever served, and you are being questioned about a mistake - a big mistake - that you've made.

You see, your platoon lost some live ammo. Oh sure, it was eventually found, but for a few hours you had the entire battalion scrambling. Your battalion commander is not yelling at you though, he's not demeaning you; he's simply taking this opportunity to ensure you learn from the experience. And you do - you learn that people make mistakes, that those mistakes do not usually result in the end of the world, and that such occasions are valuable opportunities to impart some higher lessons.

Then, out of the corner of your eye, you see your platoon sergeant emerge from behind a building. He's an old soldier - a fine soldier though - whose knees have seen a few too many airborne operations. He sees you and the colonel - and he takes off at a run. You see him approaching from behind the colonel and the next thing you see is the back of your platoon sergeant's head. He is now standing between you and your battalion commander - the two are eyeball to eyeball.

Your platoon sergeant says, a touch of indignance in his voice, "Leave my lieutenant alone, sir. He didn't lose the ammo, I did. I was the one who miscounted. You want someone's ass, you take mine." And you learn another lesson - you learn about loyalty.

It's a few months later, and you are one of two soldiers left on a hot PZ on some Caribbean island. There's been another foul up - not yours this time, but you're going to pay for it. It's you and your RTO, a nineteen-year-old surfer from Florida who can quote Shakespeare, because his Mom was a high school literature teacher, and who joined the Army because his Dad was a World War II Ranger. The last UH-60 has taken off on an air assault and someone is supposed to come back and get you guys.

But the fire is getting heavy, and you're not sure anything can get down there without getting shot up. You're taking fire from some heavily forested hills. At least two machine guns, maybe three, maybe more, and quite a few AKs, but you can't make out anything else. You and your RTO are in a hole, hunkered down as the bad guys are peppering your hole with small arms fire. Your RTO is trying to get some help - another bird to come get you, some artillery, some attack helicopters - anything. But there are other firefights happening elsewhere on this island involving much larger numbers. So as the cosmos unfold at that particular moment, in that particular place, you and that RTO are well down the order of merit list.

You feel a tug at your pants leg. Ketch, that's what you call him, Ketch tells you he got a "wait, out" when he asked for help. The radio is jammed with calls for fire and requests for support from other parts of the island.

"What we gonna do, sir?" he asks. And all of a sudden, you're learning another lesson. You're learning about the weightiness of command, because it's not just you in that hole, it's this kid you've spent every day with for the last five months. This kid you've come to love like a kid brother.

There is only one way out and that's through the bad guys. You see, you are on a peninsula that rises about 100 feet from the sea. The inland side is where the bad guys are. You figure you are safe in this hole, so long as they don't bring in any indirect fire stuff, but if they come down off those hills, onto the peninsula, then you're going to have to fight it out. And that's what you tell your RTO: We either get help or, if the bad guys come for us, we fight. He looks at you. You don't know how long. And he says only four words. Two sentences. "Roger, sir. Let's rock." Appropriate coming from a surfer. Then he slithers back down to the bottom of the hole. Staying on the radio, your lifeline, trying to get some help. You are peering over the edge of the hole, careful not to make too big a target.

You're thinking about your wife and that little month-old baby you left a few days ago. It was two o'clock in the morning when you got the call: "Pack your gear and get in here." You kissed them both and told them to watch the news. Hell, you didn't know where you were going or why, but you were told to go, and you went.

Then all of a sudden it gets real loud, and things are flying all around and then there's a shadow that passes over you. You look up and find yourself staring at the bottom of a Blackhawk, about 15 feet over the deck, flying fast and low, and as it passes over your hole you see the door gunner dealing death and destruction on the bad guys in those hills. It sets down about 25 meters from your hole, as close as it can get.

You look up and see the crew chief kneeling inside, waving frantically to you, the door gunner still dealing with it, trying to keep the bad guys' heads down, who have now switched their fire to the bird, a much bigger, and better, target. You look at Ketch and then you're off - and you run 25 meters faster than 25 meters have ever been run since humans began to walk upright. And you dive through the open doors onto the floor of the Blackhawk. There are no seats in the bird since this is combat and we don't use them in the real deal.

And you are hugging your RTO, face-to-face, like a lover, and shouting at him "You OKAY? You OKAY? You OKAY?" But he doesn't tell you he's OKAY since he's yelling the same thing at you - "You OKAY? You OKAY? You OKAY?" And then the pilot pulls pitch and executes a violent and steep ascent out of there and had you not been holding on to the d-rings in the floor and the crew chief not been holding your legs, you might have fallen out. Then you're over the water, you're safe, and the bird levels out, and you roll over to your back and close your eyes - and you think you fall asleep.

But then you feel a hand on your blouse, and you open your eyes and see the crew chief kneeling over you with a headset in his hand. He wants you to put it on so you do. And the first thing you hear is, "I-Beamer, buddy boy. I-Beamer."' You were in I-4 while a cadet, and that was your rallying cry. And you look up to where the pilots sit and you see a head sticking out from behind one of the seats. He's looking at you and it's his voice you hear, but you can't make out who it is because his visor is down. Then he lifts it, and you see the face of a man who was two years ahead of you in your company . He tells you that he knew you were there and he wasn't going to leave an I-Beamer like that. And you learn about courage, and camaraderie. And friendship that never dies!

It's a few years later and you've already had your company command. You're in grad school, studying at Michigan. You get a phone call one night, one of the sergeants from your company. He tells you Harvey Moore is dead, killed in a training accident when his Blackhawk flew into the ground.

Harvey Moore. Two-time winner of the Best Ranger Competition. Great soldier. Got drunk one night after his wife left him and took his son. You see, staff sergeants don't make as much money as lawyers, so she left with the lawyer. He got stinking drunk, though it didn't take much since he didn't drink at all before this, and got into his car. Then had an accident. Then got a DUI. He was an E-6 promotable when this happened, and the SOP was a general-officer Article 15 and a reduction one grade, which would really be two for him because he was on the promotion list.

But Harvey Moore is a good soldier, and it's time to go to bat for a guy who, if your company command was any sort of a success, played a significant part in making it so. And you go with your battalion commander to see the CG, and you stand at attention in front of the CG's desk for 20 minutes convincing him that Harvey Moore deserves a break. You win. Harvey Moore never drinks again. He makes E-7.

And when you change command, he grabs your arm, with tears in his eyes, and thanks you for all you've done. Then the phone call. And you learn about grief.

Then you're a major and you're back in the 82d - your home. And one day some SOB having a bad week decides it's time to take it out on the world and he shoots up a PT formation. Takes out 20 guys. You're one of them. A 5.56 tracer round right to the gut. Range about 10 meters. And you're dead for a little while, but it's not your time yet - there are still too many lessons to learn.

And you wake up after five surgeries and 45 days in a coma. And you look down at your body and you don't recognize it - it has become a receptacle for hospital tubing and electronic monitoring devices. You have a tracheotomy, so there's a huge tube going down your throat and you can't talk, but that thing is making sure you breathe. And there's a tube in your nose that goes down into your stomach - that's how you eat. And there are four IVs - one in each arm and two in the veins in the top of your feet. There is a tube through your right clavicle - that's where they inject the high-powered antibiotics that turns your hair white and makes you see things. But disease is the enemy now and it's gotta be done.

And there are three tubes emerging from three separate holes in your stomach.They are there to drain the liquids from your stomach cavity. It drains into some bags hanging on the side of your bed. And they've shaved your chest and attached countless electrodes to monitor your heartbeat, blood pressure, and anything else they can measure. They have these things stuck all over your head as well, and on your wrists and ankles.

And your family gathers around, and they are like rocks, and they pull you through. But there's also a guy, dressed in BDUs, with a maroon beret in his hand, who stands quietly in the corner. Never says anything. Just smiles. And looks at you. He's there every day. Not every hour of every day, but he comes every day. Sometimes he's there when you wake up. Sometimes he's there when you go to sleep. He comes during his lunch break. He stays an hour, or two or three. And just stands in the corner. And smiles. No one told him to be there.

But he made it his place of duty. His guard post. You see, it's your Sergeant Major, and his Ranger buddy is down, and a Ranger never leaves a fallen comrade. And you learn, through this man, the value of a creed.

Every four hours two huge male nurses come in and gently roll you on your side. The bullet exited through your left buttock and made a hole the size of a softball. The bandages need to be changed. Take the soiled wads out and put clean ones in. And a second lieutenant comes in. She seems to be there all the time. She's the one changing the bandages. And it hurts like hell, but she, too, is smiling, and talking to you, and she's gentle.

And you know you've seen her before, but you can't talk - you still have that tube in your throat. But she knows. And she tells you that you taught her Military Art History, that now it's her turn to take care of you, that she's in charge of you and the team of nurses assigned to you, and she won't let you down. And you learn about compassion.

And then it's months later and you're still recovering. Most of the tubes are gone but it's time for another round of major surgeries. And you go into one of the last, this one about nine hours long. And they put you back together. And you wake up in the ICU one more time. Only one IV this time. And when you open your eyes, there's a huge figure standing over your bed. BDUs. Green beret in his hand. Bigger than God. And he's smiling.

"It's about damn time you woke up you lazy bastard," he says. And you know it's your friend and former commander and you've got to come back with something quick - something good. He's the deputy Delta Force commander, soon to be the commander. And you say, Don't you have someplace else to be? Don't you have something more important to do?" And without skipping a beat, without losing that smile he says "Right now, I am doing what I consider the most important thing in the world." And you learn about leadership.

So there you have them. Some stories. I've tried to let you see the world as I've seen it at various points in time these 18 years. I hope you've learned something. I certainly have.

Thanks for your time. Rangers Lead the Way!"

Leadership Matters.

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 03:37:00 +0000

One man's quest to change a continent, in this video Patrick Awuah tells the story of how he learned to think about leadership and how it matters to the world using his native Ghana as an example. Soft spoken and extremely articulate, his insights into the future of Africa are profound and teach a number of great lessons that can be applied to our own lives and country.

If you don't have the time to watch the video, consider these six important messages:

1) The manner in which we educate our leaders is fundamental to progress . . .and will make all the difference.

2) Good leaders do not emerge spontaneously, somebody trained them.

3) When a leader fails, then the nation suffers.

4) Leaders develop the ability to deal with ambiguity and complexity, to deal with problems they have never seen before.

5) "The real privilege of leadership is to serve humanity."

6) Leaders should never have a stronger sense of entitlement than their sense of responsibility.

Patrick Awuah left Ghana as a teenager to attend Swarthmore College in the United States, then stayed on to build a career at Microsoft in Seattle. In returning to his home country, he has made a commitment to educating young people in critical thinking and ethical service, values he believes are crucial for the nation-building that lies ahead.

Founded in 2002, his Ashesi University is already charting a new course in African education, with its high-tech facilities, innovative academic program and emphasis on leadership. It seems more than fitting that ashesi means "beginning" in Akan, one of Ghana's native languages.

Bio reprinted from Ted.com

Will They Come Get You in a Fight?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:38:00 +0000

True courage in leadership is often, and surprisingly, found in the little day to day things we do. Small acts of courage to make the hard choices, to confront adversity and uncertainty demonstrates to the organization that you follow a moral compass that will get the team from point a to point b without compromise of integrity or standards.

A mentor once told me to judge my leaders (or people posing as leaders) by whether or not they would "come get you in a fight." The phrase is a colorful one and a product of Army culture, but his message was really about judging my leadership's courage, their ability to stay the course, underwrite my organizations mistakes and stand behind my decisions when things got rocky.

Now more, than 10 years after he told me that, I find myself telling the leaders on my own teams that "I will come get you in a fight" and use that phrase to open the open the dialogue about my expectations for their courage and integrity levels. It is a powerful conversation to have when there is open dialogue about what you expect from your leaders.

One word of caution though ... ensure that your acts of courage are guided by a clear set of values that align with the organization's mission.

Without clearly understood values and alignment, acts of courage can rapidly be interpreted by others (and your team) as lunacy.

I highly recommend Mike Myatt's blog post on Leadership and Courage found at www.n2growth.com/blog/leadership-and-courage.

Sent from my iPhone

Believe in Yourself!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 13:12:00 +0000

As leaders we often unknowingly accept bias in our perspectives and this can impose self limiting beliefs that will affect performance. Unfortunately , we sometimes allow these limits to affect how we interact and groom the potential in our teams. This very powerful video by Caroline Casey will inspire you, trigger reflection and, most importantly, reinforce how important it is to be unwavering in the way you believe in yourself and your team.

Are you placing obstacles in the way of your ability to make a difference?

Believe.

Caroline Casey: Looking past limits | Video on TED.com

Caroline Casey has dedicated the past decade of her life to changing how global society views people with disabilities. In 2000, she rode 1000 kilometers across India on an elephant to...

raise funds for Sight Savers. Then, as the founding CEO of Kanchi in Dublin, she developed a set of best practices (based on ISO 9000 quality standards) for businesses, to help them see "disabled" workers as an asset as opposed to a liability. Hundreds of companies have adopted the standards, changing their policies and attitudes.

In 2004 started the O2 Ability Awards to recognize Irish businesses for their inclusion of people with disabilities, both as employees and customers. The initiative has received international praise and, in 2010, a parallel program was launched in Spain.

BIO reprinted from Ted.com

Leadership; Relationships, Trust & Shared Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:14:00 +0000

"I knew wherever I was that you thought of me, and if I got in a tight place you would come - if alive"

Gen William T. Sherman to Gen Ulysses S. Grant

Many will know of, and remember, GEN Stanley McChrystal as the leader who resigned from his command in Afghanistan as a result of an article published in Rolling Stone magazine. What we should better recognize is his 37 years of selfless service to our nation, something for which I am personally thankful. In this fifteen minute video GEN(ret) McChrystal talks about leadership, the importance of shared perspectives and taking care of each other.

I hope you enjoy it and recognize the passion of a leader who understands the importance of trust and connection to his team.

Celebrating Higher Education and the Future.

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:12:00 +0000

Without a doubt, it was inspiring to witness the work of the DeVry staff and local business leaders as they teamed up to make the DeVry students successful

I also had the privilege of addressing an audience composed of students, faculty, staff and local business leaders as part of their celebration of the one year anniversary of the Keller School of Management in New Jersey and the launch of the New Jersey Center for Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship. My remarks are found below.

________________________________________________

Good evening President Greveson, Dean Konopka and Dean Garamani.

Good Evening and welcome to the rest of the DeVry Community. This of course includes everybody; the students, the faculty, the administrators and the leaders of this school and its business partners.

I use the word community very deliberately because I have to tell you that today has been a very energizing experience for me as a defense program manager as I watched how this community works together.

I have a fairly unique job in the sense that I get the opportunity to see decisions made by our current administration and the contortions of the U.S. congress and watch how that perpetuates itself both into the federal departments as well as into industry.

In light of that perspective I would offer that what I am going to talk to you about tonight is my opinion about the work that this community is trying to accomplish.

Before I get started though, I just want to say I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to be here to congratulate you on these two very important milestones; the one year anniversary of the Keller School of Management in New Jersey and the launch of your new center, the New Jersey Center for Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship.

What we are doing tonight is very important; when you work hard you have to take a little time to celebrate. Most importantly this event marks the fact that this community continues to work together to collaborate on making the students successful, the school successful, the businesses of New Jersey successful, and ultimately you are in fact collaborating to make our nation successful.

From my own personal experience leading change in large, complex organizations. . . organizations that have the added benefit of an unbelievable amounts of painful culture . . . I know that the first year of any new effort is filled with lots of small victories, certainly a few small defeats, lots of ‘ah ha moments and even a few ‘uh-oh’s’.

Examples of uncertainty and an accomplishment are equally plentiful, but there is no disputing the deep satisfaction of being able to look back over the past year and see your hard collaborative work bring you to where you are today. Even more exciting is to then turn and look down the road ahead and see the potential that lies there.

So Congratulations for work well done. I share your excitement about the way ahead.

I want to talk about perspective tonight. I want to give you mine right up front.

This community and the work that you are doing represent some of the most strategically important activities that we are working as a nation. Institutions of higher learning are the only way that we as a nation can overcome our current fiscal crisis.

The fiscal crisis is huge. I don’t mean to be all doom and gloom; but my point is that there are no quick fixes and the only way we can get after this as a country is to generate the future leaders in the business sector that will help this country recover.

Those future leaders are here at DeVry University. You may not see yourself that way as you work on your school projects, but without a doubt, you represent the future potential of our nation.

That’s my perspective.

In my specific line of work for the Army I don’t get often get the opportunity to interact with organizations like yours and spend time with students. But when I do, I feel extremely invigorated and optimistic about the future of our country. This afternoon it was absolutely inspiring to hear graduate level discussions on how the potential of students can be maximized in a way that makes an immediate contribution to our nation and its economy. As a public servant I was comforted to watch Academia talk with commercial industry about very specific ways that we can help students be successful.

I cannot overemphasize how important that dialogue is. It is exciting to interact with sharp, critical thinkers who are unafraid to ask hard and important questions.

But it is not enough to simply be able to ask the questions. It is not enough to be able to ask the ‘right’ questions. The essential skill is the ability to internalize, synthesize and process the answers to those questions in a way that facilitates the development of positive change.

The mission of this school and others like it, to grow people who can process and act upon the answers to the right questions is, again, one of the most strategically important acts that will define the success of the future of this country.

So let me say that slightly different way.

The true value of your programs is not that they produce people with improved contract negotiation skills and a deeper understanding of innovative marketing and business capture techniques. It is not the ability to develop sophisticated pricing strategies or the developing the analytical tools to understand market behavior in a global environment.

Most importantly, your school equips students with a set of critical thinking skills that allow them to accurately identify important objectives, or obstacles, and then work collaboratively with a team to achieve and overcome.

These skills are life skills. They are equally applicable and important at home, at work, in the commercial sector and in the public service. Regardless of where a Graduate of the Keller School of Management goes after they receive their diploma, they are equipped to rapidly assess, proactively plan and use their critical thinking skills to contribute decisively to what is important.

There is no doubt that our nation needs critical thinkers and collaborative problems solvers now more than ever.

So I want to tell you a short story that I think will drive home why thinking critically, the skill you are delivering, is so important to achievement and problem solving.

See Perspective Story.

So I want you to think about how two human beings can view the exact same thing, standing side by side; at the same time, same place, and same circumstances in all respects except for their own personal experience and still have diametrically opposed perspectives.

Suddenly realize how important it is to be able to think critically and be able to accept, examine and interpret those perspectives other than your own if there is any hope of solving important, complex problems.

The ability to solve complex problems today is made exceedingly more difficult by two key factors; the pace of change and the impact of technology. If you watch the news for more than 30 seconds you will, of course, see that complex problems are everywhere.

Of course recent examples include the events in Japan, a catastrophe on a scale that we cannot comprehend.

We live in a world where the sophisticated opportunities and threats move at a pace that is difficult to grasp. This is equally true in business as it is in national defense. In fact, today, the two are interwoven so tightly that our economy is the single largest strategic target in the world, bar none.

Only rational, deliberate critical thinking that considers numerous perspectives, conducted by the kinds of students produced by DeVry and other institutions of higher learning, can protect it.

Technology is also driving the global community in ways that nobody ever imagined. No I am not referring to Google’s driverless cars. Specifically, who would have imagined that a social network would fan the flames of a political revolution in the middle-east that has resulted in the fall of a Government, a civil war in another country and widespread unrest unseen in Middle Eastern society in a very long time.

Critical thinking and collaboration are the only tools we possess that can position our country to identify and respond to shifts in world power driven by technology, the spread of information and the associated economics.

We must not limit our analysis to a single perspective, but in fact we must purposefully seek out perspectives contrary to our own. We must even consider perspectives that are not American!

Probably more disconcerting than either the rapid pace of change or the impact of technology is the fact that the rate of change is steadily and inexorably increasing. Only reasoned evaluation and critically evaluated response to these factors will help us secure the future responsibly and allow us to keep up with an increasing rate of change.

What is really, really exciting though is that events like tonight tell me that schools like yours are committed to developing innovative professionals who can take advantage of these opportunities, respond to these threats and will serve in both the private and public domains. Their work will help our economy and Government move in directions that we cannot yet imagine.

If we can grow future leaders who recognize the importance of different perspectives and can use that as a basis for positive change, then we are truly making a difference that will last.

Growing future leaders who can process complexity and forge decisive paths to success is our most sacred responsibility. Your community is fulfilling this obligation to the nation.

So let me be a bit more blunt, our future demands that we grow innovative, collaborative problem solvers. Failure to do this well could have potentially catastrophic consequences.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln, “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

While I certainly don’t believe we are on the cusp of another civil war, I would argue that the future of our nation is largely dependent on the ability of institutions like yours to produce millions of citizens who can think at a higher level, discern the difference between problems and personalities, and use the power of differing perspectives to learn, to adapt and to lead.

Your school and its programs will produce thinkers who are unafraid of creating the intellectual friction necessary to examine the edges of our assumption and perspective.

As an institution of higher learning, your programs, like the one we are gathered here to celebrate, will be instrumental in setting the conditions for understanding, collaborating and ultimately determining how to answer these questions. Your programs are instrumental in developing sound ways to move forward in situations that will be important to your students, your communities, and the country.

This is an amazing and immensely important contribution to the future.

So as we look forward as a community I would like to share a quote from General Peter Schoomaker who served as the Army Chief of Staff from 2003 to 2007. He too faced an institution that had to adapt and change for the sake of our country. We were a cold war based army but faced a world where this kind of force was no longer relevant.

His arrival message was very simple, but it is relevant to the graduates of DeVry facing an uncertain future. He simply said, “We must be prepared to question everything. What is best for the Nation? What must endure? What must change?”

Answering these questions honestly and candidly is hard and requires consideration of multiple, diverse perspectives if we hope them to be effective in shaping our future. Answering these questions is required for the success of our nation.

Otherwise we will find ourselves frustrated that the mountains are in the way of the scenery.

But I don’t think that will happen. I am leaving here today more positive than I have ever been. When I see the kind of things that are happening here at DeVry I realize that we have a lot of talent and a professional workforce committed to developing that talent.

So, again, Congratulations on a job well done on a critically important endeavor and thank you for allowing me the privilege of visiting your campus today and participating in this celebration. You have a fantastic team of students, faculty, administrators, and leaders who are working together to make the community successful.

I feel very secure knowing that your team is working to make our country a better place.

Thank you.

Don't Wait to Make a Difference!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 03:06:00 +0000

Save the shoes! An inspirational short six minute message from a New York City Volunteer Firefighter that is worth watching.

Mark Bezos: A life lesson from a volunteer firefighter | Video on TED.com

Perspective Matters

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 04:33:00 +0000

A few years back, a close friend of the family sent us a note describing an encounter with another traveler as he toured the unparalleled beauty of Yellowstone National Park.

John, a long-time native of Montana, originally moved to the east slope of the Rocky Mountains as a young man and immediately fell in love with both the land and the people of the Big Sky Country. The jagged snow-capped peaks, dense forests and abundant wildlife of that region captivated both his imagination and spirit. Consequently, what started as a trip of discovery became a way of life, and John went on to make his home in what he called ‘Gods Country’ for many years.

Each fall, in the tradition of the ranchers that work in the heart of Montana and Wyoming, John embarked on an annual ‘riding the fence line’ tour on the back of his Harley Davidson Motorcycle. This ‘fence line ride’ led him from his home, south into Yellowstone, along the Rockefeller Parkway and through Grand Tetons National Park to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and back again.

Along the way, he would stop to hike, take pictures, camp, visit with other travelers and lose himself in the wonders of that area for about a week. While he obviously had no real fences to check or repair, he often described the trip as his chance to recharge and renew his soul. There was just something special about riding through those mountains that made him feel at peace with the world no matter what troubles or pressures waited for him at home.

The Yellowstone country, for those who have not seen it personally, is a breathtakingly beautiful and iconic part of America that exhibits very different personalities depending upon the season. In the fall, the foliage colors are particularly vivid against rugged terrain that is partially veiled in early season snow. The air is crisp and clean. The summertime crowds are gone, and there are numerous places to stop and enjoy the majesty of the park in relative solitude.

One afternoon, John stopped at a popular vista to watch the sun retreat across a valley whose far side was a formidable formation of rock. The mountainside jutted sharply upward against the western sky, casting rapidly advancing shadows and creating a dramatic, serrated silhouette.

Another traveler had also stopped and was taking pictures of buffalo grazing in the valley’s fading light. After a few minutes, John struck up a conversation with his fellow visitor and they began to talk about the splendor of Yellowstone. After a few minutes, the other man remarked that the park was a remarkable place, but very different from his own home in western Texas where he had lived his entire life.

This was his first time seeing the park and he was indeed impressed!

John, of course, agreed. He explained his lifelong love affair with the area and how he spent some time each year travelling through the mountains. The land reminded him that there were forces greater than man at work in the world.

The gentlemen from west Texas nodded his assent and extended his hand as he prepared to depart. John shook his hand only to be stunned by what his new acquaintance said next.

“This is truly an amazing place . . . the only problem is that the mountains get in the way of the scenery!”

Speechless, John simply finished the handshake and wished him fair travels. The words of his letter to us describing his conversation were filled with disbelief of how anyone could actually consider the mountains to be 'in the way' of anything.

I found John’s story to be a true reminder that two human beings can view the exact same picture, be equally impressed, but still see two very, very different things.

After all, when you are from central Montana the mountains ARE the scenery. When you are from the plains of western Texas, the SKY is the scenery and mountains would get in the way of routinely spectacular, multi-color sunsets.

Neither John nor his Texan friend is wrong.

As a leader, it’s critical that you remember that your perspective is exactly that…your perspective! It is not necessarily that of your team. Make sure you are taking the time to describe and discuss your vision, where you want them to go and what it should look like at the end. Pay particular attention to describing what ‘scenery’ is desired.

Being aware of your team’s perspective is also critical for collaborative problem solving. Without patience, persistence and relentless communications the team could find itself trying to solve very different problems than you intended or working towards very different outcomes than what is actually required or desired.

If you acknowledge first that no two human beings have exactly the same perspective on anything, then spending the time to develop common understanding, before moving the team too far down the road, makes perfect sense.

Any other approach and you stand a high chance of having mountains get in the way of the scenery!

Choose a different option

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 20:18:00 +0000

Beware of questions that are asked as if the answer can only be 'either this, or that'. Usually its neither of those options.

Potential

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 05:02:00 +0000

"We are better than we know. If we can just be made to see it, then perhaps for the rest of our lives we'll be unwilling to settle for less."

-Kurt Hahn, Founder of Outward Bound

Get in the Ring with the Lions!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 01:18:00 +0000

   I was recently asked why I used the phrase "Get in the ring with the lions" and if that was reference to the movie directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe.

   While I found the second part of the question colorful and a bit humorous, my statement is actually a reference to a speech given by President Theodore Roosevelt to a gathering in Paris in 1910.

   If you have ever been in a leadership position then I'm sure you've had the occasion or requirement to interact and work with folks outside the core team who have no real stake in whether your effort succeeds or fails. Some of these individuals feel compelled to be critical of the effort despite their complete lack of contribution, involvement or personal consequence related to the outcome.

   At best, the engagements with critics like these is a frustrating time sink.

   So when things get tough . . .
   . . .and I am dealing with folks who are not actively engaged in driving or helping the group towards success, but could contribute in a meaningful way, I often ask them to enter President Roosevelt's metaphorical 'arena' by issuing a challenge:

   "Get in the ring with the lions!"

   I hope you find the message of this speech to be a reminder that leadership is a risk filled endeavor where success requires you to be "in the arena" and not sitting in the audience watching the struggle.

"It is not the critic who counts:

not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles

or where the doer of deeds could have done better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,

whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,

who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again,

because there is no effort without error or shortcoming,

but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions,

who spends himself for a worthy cause;

who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement,

and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly,

so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls

who knew neither victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt
"Citizenship in a Republic,"
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

The Theodore Roosevelt Association

A Lesson in Handling People

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 01:49:00 +0000

I don’t even remember what I was angry about at the time. Nor do I remember the details of what I said to that young Soldier as he stood at parade rest in the cold grey of a German November afternoon. What I do remember vividly is the look on my new Platoon Sergeant’s face once I dismissed the target of my tongue lashing. He was clearly not pleased with his Lieutenant’s behavior, but his look was not one of anger. Rather, his expression was a perplexing mix of concern and irritation.

“SFC Mosely, was I wrong?”

That seasoned NCO paused for a moment and then spoke the words that changed forever how I would deal with problems, people and performance.

“No Sir, you were not wrong . . . But that Soldier has a vested interest in your success, and you have a vested interest in his (success) . . . the sooner you figure that out, then the better off we are all going to be.”

The first thing that flashed across my mind was “Can he say that to me?”

Of course he could say that and he was absolutely right. I had vented my frustrations on someone who also wanted to succeed, but had fallen short in the judgment of his leader. I had not spent any time seeking to understand how he got there or why. By the end of my one way monologue, that served only to point out shortfalls and express raw anger, I still faced the same problem and the same person. Rather than inspiring higher levels of performance, I had managed to alienate one of the people I needed most in order for the organization to be successful. This was definitely not a recipe for long term success. SFC Mosely’s observation drove that home hard.

In less than one minute, I realized that as a matter of routine I had been using the power of my position and rank to point out failings when I should have been committed to the growth of each individual in my unit and underwriting their mistakes. Not clubbing them with them.

Of course there are exceptions, but much more often than not, poor performance is a result of misunderstanding, lack of training, unclear objectives, conflicting priorities or personal issues that erode an individual’s ability to wholly commit to the tasks at hand. A leader is obligated to communicate, organize, direct, train, motivate and take care of his or her team.

Habitual berating accomplishes none of these.

I learned a whole lot more about leadership from SFC Mosley in the year we served together, most of which still governs the manner in which I lead my organizations and handle the people I have the privilege of serving. The most important thing however, was learning the power of changing my perspective. His simple articulation of the fact that most people have an inherent desire to succeed, regardless of their position in the hierarchy, was an ‘ah-ha’ moment for me as a young officer. From that day forward I internalized the fact that the very essence of leadership is the task of achieving success as a team. If the leader is to be successful then the organization must also be successful. A leader who does not acknowledge that critical interdependence limits the potential of both parties.

I have found that the immense power of committing to others and helping them achieve the success they desire can accomplish more things and trigger more positive change than one can imagine at the start of a leadership journey.

Even more satisfying is that this personal commitment is exceptionally effective at growing other future leaders. And in the end, this is probably our most important leadership responsibility.

So, are you helping the members of your organization succeed or are you simply assigning tasks and passing judgement?

Leadership Perseverance Requires Two Things.

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 03:28:00 +0000

One of my favorite quotes is from Vice Admiral James Stockdale (1923-2005), as spoken during conversation with James Collins, author of "Good to Great", on his ability to survive nearly seven and a half years of brutal captivity by the North Vietnamese from 9 September 1965 to 12 February 1973.

"You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

These words effectively capture the very essence of organizational leadership responsibility in times of crisis and tough circumstances. While most leadership situations are not as dire as those faced by those imprisoned as a POW, his words illustrate one of the most fundamental aspects of successful organizational leadership; leaders cannot afford to dwell on what is not possible, but rather must maintain their focus on success while managing the "brutal facts" of their organization's current situation.

A quick primer on Medal of Honor Awardee, Vice Admiral James Stockdale can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stockdale

Make a Difference

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 02:42:00 +0000

Commencement Address
DeVry University, North Brunswick, NJ

LTC Michael J. Devine III

June 2009

Thank you Dr. Greveson, Dr. Donaldson, for allowing me the absolute privilege of being able to speak to these outstanding graduates, their family and friends, and the faculty and staff of your university.

I’m excited to be here because today is the culminating event in a team sport that is, without question, one of our nation’s greatest strategic advantages – the ability to produce thinkers and problem solvers who are capable of truly making a difference.

Graduates - today is your day and I hope you really excited about that. So let me ask you, are you excited about that?

(Cheering)

I suspected that was the case.

So let me start by saying Good Morning to the Faculty and staff of DeVry University. Today is also your day. I hope you are looking closely at this tremendous group of graduates and that you see the same thing that I do – the immense potential of our nation’s future. Because of your hard work, mentorship and commitment to making a difference in the development of your students you have delivered a piece of that future. Thank you for what you have delivered.

(Applause)

Good morning family and friends of the graduates. Today is also your day. Without your love, support and understanding this event would not be what it is for your graduate. Your unfailing faith in their abilities . . . especially during those times when you didn’t want to be patient or supportive about your student’s need to cram for a test, write a paper or participate in a study group... has made a difference. Thank you for what you have done, you too have helped deliver a piece of the future.

(Applause)

Finally, and most importantly, good morning to the graduates of DeVry University, what an awesome day this is. We are here to recognize an unbelievably important milestone in your lives and to congratulate and thank you for a job very well done. Thank you for your hard work and the unwavering commitment to excellence that brought you here today. We all owe you the greatest thanks because you ARE the future and this country relies upon you to make a difference in the days, months, years and decades ahead. In that sense you are the nation’s most precious commodity.

(Applause)

When asked if I would come to speak to you today, my first thought was that I’m not old enough to be a speaker at a commencement ceremony because, after all, I just graduated yesterday.

(Laughter)

Unfortunately, I have to admit that I graduated from Gonzaga University just over 17 years ago and drove away from my home town convinced that there was no obstacle I could not overcome as I started my Army career. I was brim full of knowledge, had done very well in school, and was sure that I was prepared for success.

What I later came to realize was that I really had no idea what it meant to succeed and had never given it much real thought. I challenge each of you, as you walk out of this theater today, to take a moment and reflect upon what success means to you. For many years, I let the Army define it for me in the form of ribbons and promotions, then I defined it by achieving the highest possible job performance ratings, then I defined it by my level of education and still later I defined it as being financially secure.

While all of those things can certainly be measures of success, I now realize that there are just a few things that remain constant as life progresses, day in and day out. So I would offer to you, as food for thought, what I have settled on as my measures of success.

First, I believe that every human being must truly love someone. I mean love them unconditionally, without reservation, fear or prejudice.

Second, I believe that every human being must truly be loved by someone in the same way they give of themselves. Achieving these two conditions make my third criteria, the one I’d like to talk about in more detail, possible.

The third criteria I use for judging my own personal success, and one I would recommend to you, is a positive answer to the question, “Am I making a difference?” Attempting to answer that question should generate in your mind an entire list of additional questions. Questions like: What does it mean to make a difference? How do I make a difference? Do I know enough to make a difference? The answers, just like setting your own criteria for success, must be sorted out by each of you individually during the personal journey that awaits you after graduation.

There is no book that will provide the solution set and every day will be a test. What is not debatable is the unlimited potential that each of you possess within yourselves to effect intelligent and productive change in the lives of the people around you. Because I believe that so resolutely I would like to challenge every single one of you in four ways.

Challenge #1 - make it a deliberate decision, every day, to make a difference in some way. Choose to positively change the strategic course of an organization you belong to, or choose to improve the daily routine of your children. Choose to give your time to feeding the homebound elderly or rescuing stray dogs. Choose a profession where you teach or lead others every day. Or simply choose to look someone in the eye and say, “Thank you”. It doesn’t matter how large or small, the act of deciding to make a difference itself will set an example that others will follow. That is an investment with huge return potential.

If you don’t make that decision, then who will?

So if you will let me brag a bit I’d like to give you an example. This past school year, my wife –who is a 4^th Grade school teacher in NC, had a large number of kids in her class that had struggled in some way through school. Success in the classroom was simply very difficult for these learners. Additionally, there were a number of students who faced additional difficulties socially or at home.

My wife is a persistent optimist . . . I might even use the word stubborn except that I have family in the audience today . . . (Laughter)

She decided early on that she was not going to let these kids fail in the 4^th Grade. To her credit, they did not. Most of the kids who came into her class having struggled academically in the past, demonstrated solid growth by the end of the year.

While I’m proud of her for that accomplishment, an accomplishment that clearly made a difference, she did something seemingly small following the end of grade testing that really made an impact. She decided to call the parents of each of these children and tell them how proud she was of their achievements. Without exception, the startled parents were so elated that they made decisions of their own to reward their children with movies, a dinner out and high praise.

So for one night these kids were treated as a prince or princess. They were placed upon a pedestal and recognized for their success in an area where that was not the norm. It would have been easy for my wife to be satisfied with what she had accomplished with those kids while at school, but she decided that she could make a difference for them at home too.

Her act was not an accident, but rather the result of a life habit of deciding to take that small extra step to make a difference.

I challenge you to develop the same habit.

Challenge #2 - Embrace what you do not yet know. You have just spent a significant amount of your personal energy earning your degree. Your intellectual skills are as sharp as they have ever been, honed by a persistent focus on achieving that piece of paper you will receive today. It’s time to take a deep breath and celebrate this accomplishment – you deserve that for sure. However, I would argue that even more important than your new degree and more important than your newly developed knowledge base, is your ability to dig into an unfamiliar topic, explore it ruthlessly and make it your own.

Take special care to retain and nurture that skill.

As an Army Officer, my job is about leadership. As a leadership professional I have the responsibility and distinct privilege of working to develop and grow Soldiers and civilians as leaders in their own right. Whenever a young man or woman is assigned to, or hired into, my organization I evaluate their potential by their ability to think critically. Their degree is interesting, and certainly an indicator of their intelligence, but the most important skill I look for is their ability to openly admit what they don’t know, explore the topic and add what they learn to their personal toolkit.

You have been doing that almost every day in the pursuit of your degree – don’t stop when you walk out the door today. Your newly developed talent is too important to your family, your community and our nation to turn it off like a light. Every person is a product of their experience and by remaining open and honest about what you do not know, by remaining willing to intellectually explore new ideas as a lifelong commitment, you will consistently open doors to areas where you can make a difference and ensure that your personal growth never stops.

Challenge #3 - Be reflective, be generous, and be relentlessly committed in everything you do. Making a difference in the world starts within you. While that statement is probably a bit cliché, it is also a statement of fact. As you already know the world is a frantically busy place that can easily put even the most disciplined person into sensory overload. It is an easy thing to let the responsibilities and activities of day-to-day life consume us.

In order to preserve your ability to make a difference, it is imperative that you make time to reflect on yourself, your actions and your impact on those around you. No human being handles every situation right. No human being has all the answers. No human being gets through a day without some level of stress and conflict. The only way you can get ahead of this reality is to make time for reflection, and then deliberately decide to alter your approach to life, love and leadership.

Seek to continuously increase your capacity for making a difference by asking yourself “what can I do differently?” In my own self-reflection, I have consistently arrived at the conclusion that the single most effective thing I can do for myself and my organization is to be generous with my time and focus. I am a task oriented person by nature and I have to work at making time to build interpersonal relationships when the daily tempo is almost unmanageable. By making time to focus on the people around me and relentlessly committing myself to providing what they need to succeed, I have found that they do the same for others.

Work without generosity of time and focus, without personal commitment to success is simply work. You, and those around you, deserve more. By being reflective, generous and committed you will find that the difference you make is reflected in the actions of the people whose lives you touch.

Challenge #4- Finally, allow yourself to be inspired by those around you. By taking the time to genuinely appreciate the contributions, talents and achievements of others, you will naturally begin to increase your own ability to inspire others.

Whether you realize it or not, you are already providing inspiration and that in itself makes a difference.

As I look across this theater, I am personally inspired by the potential that is represented here. I am inspired by graduates like Mr. <<Name removed 1>> who has refused to be categorized and accept externally imposed limitations on his abilities. Mr. <<Name removed 1>>, your relentless commitment to success has set an example for and made a difference to the faculty and your fellow students.

I am inspired by graduates like Ms. <<Name removed 2>> who in addition to earning her degree makes time to share her talent as a dancer with others. Ms. <<Name removed 2>>, the generosity you demonstrate by sharing your time and talent has not gone unnoticed and has made a difference.

I am inspired by graduates like Ms. <<Name removed 3>> who has refused to let personal adversity affect the quality of her coursework and has maintained a perfect G.P.A. while serving in several student leadership positions. Ms. <<Name removed 3>> your dedication to excellence has been an inspiration.

This theater is filled with numerous other examples of making a difference, but more importantly, it is filled with the potential for countless others in the years ahead. By taking a moment to see the accomplishments of others, small and large, you will be expanding your own capability to inspire and make a difference for others.

So, I know that there is something significantly more important than my remarks happening here today and now it’s about time to get after it.

So to close, I’d like to thank the Graduates, their family and friends and the faculty for what you have accomplished and more importantly for what you will accomplish in the future.

Your potential is unlimited and you WILL make a difference!

Youth Leadership Experiences Shape our Potential

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Devine) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 03:25:00 +0000

     It is an inescapable fact that every person is simply a product of their experience, first guided by family and friends, but later by life and personal choice.

     Our character, our values, even our basic decision making processes were indelibly marked by the leaders who passed through the early course of our lives.  These individuals served as beacons during our journey towards independence, responsibility and establishment of our role and place in life.   They were parents, teachers, coaches, older siblings, Boy Scout troop leaders and many others who may not have even realized that they were serving such an essential role.

     It is easy enough to search through the archives of our memory to find those individuals whose personal light has left a lasting impression on our future. Some deserve accolades for their impact while others may have left fingerprints we prefer to forget, but their influence on our lives remains nonetheless, and hopefully we learned from both.

   One of the most influential beacons in my early leadership experience was a high school teacher. Ms. Fritsch taught a leadership class focused on teaching high school seniors how to organize, plan and then execute dances, pep rallies and other events we all remember as so important to high school life. We learned the basics of public speaking, conflict resolution, and small group dynamics while preparing for projects with school wide participation.

      It was not so much the content of that class that I remember, but rather the impact of putting the content into practical experience as we, the students, drove the decision making and problem solving required to orchestrate the school's social activities. The personal engagement in project execution, accountability for success (or failure) and collaboration with my peers while working towards a common goal set the basic conditions for my success as a leader over the next twenty-five years.

     I don't know if Ms. Fritsch recognized how formative her facilitation of these service projects were to me, but I believe she understood the raw power of service learning on adolescents still trying build their identify and shape who they wanted to be as adults. Using an experiential, project based approach she built confidence in our ability to communicate, collaborate and be creative. Ultimately we were building confidence in our own potential.

     While the debate about the quality and effectiveness of the American education system rages on, it is not necessary to wait for revolutionary change or systemic overhaul to make a difference. We can make a difference today by actively supporting with our time, experience and resources the widespread integration of service learning as a formal part of our youth's foundational learning experiences. Exposing our youth to positive, productive service project learning is a very real investment in the future of our community, our state and the nation.

    The essence of service learning is exposing young men and women to leadership experiences in a service oriented project. What can be more valuable than provisioning a learning experience where young adults become leaders in their own right and in doing so, learn to interact and serve the communities and country where they live?

   Intrigued enough to find out more? Here is a fantastic place to start: http://www.nylc.org/