Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Post

James C. Collins called this "The Stockdale Paradox," after Admiral James Stockdale. Stockdale was a United States Navy aviator who was shot down during the Vietnam war, on September 9, 1965. He was held as a Prisoner of War (P.O.W.) in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" until his release in 1973. When Collins asked Stockdale about the P.O.W.s who didn't survive, Stockdale replied: "Oh, that's easy, the optimists. Oh, they were the ones who said, 'We're going to be out by Christmas.' And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they'd say, 'We're going to be out by Easter.' And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart. This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be." The key takeaway from the Stockdale Paradox is that maintaining faith and hope is crucial, but it must be coupled with a clear-eyed assessment of the current situation and a willingness to confront and adapt to the harsh realities as they are. This balanced approach can help individuals and organizations navigate through adversity with resilience and determination. #leadershipdevelopment #constructionleadership #personalgrowth

From the indomitable spirit of Brother Winston Churchill to the strategic genius of Brother Douglas MacArthur, 32°, many of our Brethren have lived our Masonic values through successful military careers. Learn more about the incredible valor and dedication of some of these men on our blog: https://lnkd.in/eZQRKGYE

#BentonFoundry History Part 3: This quarter’s article discusses Newton’s son, Herbert, and his sons, Roy, Alfred, and Stanley. The business had gone from a local operation to out-of-state and out-of-country. During World War II, they made 75-millimeter shells, about 2,500 per day for three years, in support of the war effort. Also, stove tops for the Army and for the Liberty ships of the Navy were made at the foundry. Read the article here: https://buff.ly/3oDI1oj. #castings

Talk about a long hard journey to reach the upper levels of personal success 🙏🏽

What is the difference between thinking tactically and thinking strategically? Everett Dolman defines thinking tactically as seeking culmination while thinking strategically seeks continuation. Thinking tactically seeks a conclusion and forces an adversary into limited options. It could also be organizing your group's means only towards a given "end." Thinking strategically seeks continuation. It seeks a position that provides a continuing advantage and keeping multiple options available. For me, the visualization of a tournament bracket to demonstrate tactical thinking and its reversal to understand strategic thinking was helpful. Business Strategy

If you missed this event live, you can watch the conversation unfold here: https://lnkd.in/gPyXRJwv Don't miss this insightful chat on resilience and the caregiving experience. #webinar

Great write-up below from the Military Order of the Purple Heart of the U.S.A., Inc. about the history of the American Purple Heart... Did you know that the Purple Heart was originally designated as the Badge of Merit in 1782 and George Washington 🤯ONLY🤯 awarded three servicemembers with the honor? It's true - check out the post below to learn more!!

To understand the rank of Fleet Admiral, one needs to consider the context of World War II. The United States was working alongside Allies who had higher ranks like Field Marshals and Fleet Admirals, which were superior to American ranks. To ensure American senior officers were not outranked, the United States established the ranks of Fleet Admiral and General of the Army, both five-star ranks. In total, nine men held these ranks. For the Navy, they were Nimitz, Halsey, King, and Leahy. In the Army, the five-star generals were Arnold, Eisenhower, Marshall, MacArthur, and Bradley.