The Courage to Take Command: Leadership Lessons from a Military Trailblazer

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CHARM IS A VERB

Many of my leadership lessons came from my dad; however, one important lesson I learned came from my mother, who would say, “Charm is a verb.” She taught me that charm doesn’t hinge on being pretty or amusing but rather comes from actively listening to others and genuinely being interested in what they have to say. In business, any leader who doesn’t devote time to listening to frontline staff or customers is missing out on valuable intelligence.

I learned the value of this lesson on assignment in West Berlin. After World War II, Germany was divided in half, with West Germany a democracy and East Germany a communist state. West Berlin was democratic and overseen by the Allied forces. I was awarded the World War II occupation ...