History Lessons in Leadership
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The Rubicon: Both an actual event and also an often used metaphor
Caesar’s route south from Ravenna in 49 BC (drawn by Cristiano64 via Wikimedia) Odds are you have heard the phrase “Crossing the Rubicon “ in one context or another. The historical facts point us to a literal place and event, however, “Crossing the Rubicon “ has also, along with its history, a metaphorical meaning. It represents a decisive and irreversible decision; once made it is final and the consequences must be faced. In its historical context we are referring to Julius Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon River in 49 BC, which marked the start of a civil war and Caesar’s ultimate rise to power. Though for Julius Caesar, this action…
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O-Ring failure in Challenger Disaster: A Case of Corruption
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O-Ring failure in Challenger Disaster: A Case of Corruption
The Challenger Space Shuttle disaster occurred on January 28, 1986. The shuttle launch was only 73 seconds in progress, when the Y-shaped explosion occurred. NASA, for the first time in its history, lost its crew members as the world watched on. It began as a state of shock before the horror and grief began to settle in. The failure to stop the Challenger flight went along with the failure to address the engineers’ concerns about the O-Ring. Their concerns were reported long before the catastrophic flight took off. Following the disaster NASA appointed the Roger’s Commission to investigate. Theoretical physicist Dr. Richard Feynman was one of the members. His involvement…
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Famous Speeches
The Gettysburg Address: The Gettysburg Address John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961: Ask Not What Your Country Can Do for You “Tear Down this Wall” President Ronald Reagan June 12, 1987. Brandenberg Gate. West Germany: Tear Down This Wall Martin Luther King’s Speech: ‘I Have a Dream’ – The Full Text By The Rev. MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. Aug. 28, 1963: I Have a Dream
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Napoleon’s Failed War: Factors and Foes
Logistics In Lynch Bennett’s article The Grand Failure: How Logistics of Supply Defeated Napoleon in 1812, he points to logistical errors as a primary and often overlooked reason for Napoleon’s “Grand Failure” to invade Russia in 1812. As the popular idiom states “the devil is in the detail”; devilish details grew large and unruly, details that Napoleon neglected to anticipate. He was blinded by ambition and hubris, fed by his past accomplishments of conquest; he had by 1812 conquered the whole of continental Europe. The logistical difficulties involved in supplying his Grande Armeé of over 600,000 men were multiple and grave. By the time the French retreated Russia in a devastating defeat…
