Airhead or Apple Pie

Leadership is just one of the things I "love" reading, talking, exploring and learning about. Like everyone, I've had experiences with Leadership or at least people in those positions and they shape us. Just today I was thinking back to when I enlisted in the U.S. Army, it was a crash course in Leadership. I remember two leaders in particular. One was a Lieutenant Arehart who we nicknamed Lieutenant "Airhead" until he was promoted, then we called him "Captain, Airhead" we always respected the rank, just not the person inside the uniform. He didn't have our respect because he spoke down to us, yelling orders and he created confusion. Then there was "Lieutenant Apple pie", we called him that because he was young, fair-haired and blue-eyed. We LOVED this guy! And you know what, somehow we knew he genuinely cared for us. We also loved him because we could have fun with him too. I remember one morning run he lead, it was a hot, humid summer day at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, we thought because he loved us, we would take the short route and not the 10 mile route we sometimes ran. I can still hear him give the command, "column right, move!" We must have all been thinking the same thing because everyone in that formation, sweat dripping, continued to march straight ahead,as if they couldn't hear his command or believe he would take us on the LONG run in that heat. C'mon he loved us too much! He yelled the order again, "column right,move!" Still we marched straight ahead, and some laughter began to rise up in the hot air, conscious that we were simply choosing not to obey the order,until we were all laughing, even Lieutenant Apple Pie. But being the good leader that he was, he halted the entire group of us, turned us around with "to the rear, march!", "double time, march!" and off we went on a 10 mile run on a hot, humid, Virginia day. Still in my book, one of the best runs I ever went on, and I went on a lot of them! Still love that guy today, wherever he is! Thanks Lieutenant Apple pie, for your lessons in Leadership left there mark on me!

For lessons on Leadership check these guys out they are an invaluable learning resource.

Dan Rockwell @ http://leadershipfreak.wordpress.com/
Michael Hyatt @ http://michaelhyatt.com/
Daniel Harkavy @ http://www.danielharkavy.com/
Jake Hillman @ http://godrivesolutions.wordpress.com/