Who am I? Why a LinkedIn Newsletter? What to Expect?

Who am I?

I’m a career Army officer currently commanding the Mississippi Valley Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Over a span of 32 years, I have served at 16 duty stations (two of them more than once), including Hawaii and Europe. I am a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. Between 2017 and 2021, I supported seven hurricane responses impacting five states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Army gives tremendous responsibility to its leaders and I have been no exception, which is what brings me to the second question:

Why a LinkedIn newsletter?

The Army teaches us to invest in the next generation of leaders and prioritize their development. To that end, I make time to listen and talk with Army civilians and soldiers in different forums and through various mediums. There are many teammates I won’t have the opportunity to engage directly and I look for other ways to reach them. While face-to-face is always preferred, communicating through the written word is one of those other ways. Hence, this project.?

What to Expect?

I will start with topics often raised in leader development forums, interviews, and counseling.

• What was your biggest leadership challenge and how did you overcome it?
• How did you gain confidence to lead in a mostly male profession?
• What advice would you give to Army officers or civilians just beginning their careers?
• How do you deal with difficult personalities or poor performers?
• How did you learn to delegate?
• What do you expect of the leaders who work for you?
• What is your advice on leading organizational change?
• What leadership books do you recommend?

The above topics are consistent items of interest so it seems like a good place to start.? Please let me know if you have a question or topic you’d like me to address.

Thank you for reading my first post in the "Be Value Added" newsletter!

[The views and opinions presented herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Army. Appearance of or reference to any commercial products or services does not constitute DoD or Army endorsement of those products or services.]