Welcome! I hope this is the first of many posts and discussions concerning a topic of great interest and debate: LEADERSHIP. Many questions come to mind: Can people learn leadership? How does a person become a better leader? What skills and talents do leaders require? What is the difference between a leader and manager? Can a person be an effective leader but not manager, and vice-versa?

These questions and a shared passion for helping give leaders the right tools gave birth to an idea. Several friends and I started to talk about our best discussions on leadership and we noticed a common thread between our best discussions…We found that at the end of a long day, or after a particularly difficult training exercise, we would gather with peers at a local bar or restaurant and discuss our unit's particular successes and challenges. Each of us found these discussions very thought provoking. These tended to be the best leadership conversations: better than any classroom, better than any officer professional development lecture, and better than just listening to a talking head on an instructional video. We shared our experiences because we knew this would make our entire battalion, brigade, and division better. Thus, we chose "The Leadership Tavern" as our gathering place; a place for leaders of all industries, sectors, and experiences to gather to discuss their personal leadership challenges and successes.

Disclaimer: None of the people contributing to this website claim to be the all knowing oracle of leadership. Our intent is to inspire a deeper and wider conversation about leadership. We want to help you solve your leadership challenges through a community approach. A community focused on sharing personal experiences. The contributors will represent a broad range of experience: military and civilian, small business and large, single and multiple unit, as well as family owned and publicly traded.

The initial focus will be on two areas: a community designed as an area for open dialogue, and a series of interviews with leaders. Later, we will introduce new sections: "Leader of the Week" nominations and awards, a section on mentors, and reviews of a few great books on leadership. In the coming weeks and months, this website will also have a new look. You will be able to find us here (www.leadershiptavern.wordpress.com) and through our primary website at www.leadershiptavern.com.

I'm looking forward to the writing getting more interesting and easier to read as well. Thanks and make it a great day.

PS…If any of you are interested in contributing, I'd love the help.