Leaders & Futures

Chief and Dr Lugo discuss the challenges of hiring employees, emphasizing the importance of experience, character, and the ability to learn quickly. They also touch on the need for tough decisions, such as firing underperforming employees, and the importance of maintaining professional boundaries in the workplace. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the concept of wisdom and experience...

Chief and Dr Lugo discuss the importance of confidence, foresight, and scenario planning in leadership, emphasizing the need for preparedness and continuous monitoring of the environment. They also highlight the significance of trust, love, and vulnerability in relationships and the importance of balancing mission and people in leadership. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the signif...

Chief and Dr Lugo discuss the importance of trust in organizations, emphasizing the need for a leader to be trustworthy and highlighting examples of trust in everyday situations. They also explore the relationship between quality, trust, and competence in the workplace, with Chief expressing concern about the quality of tools provided and Dr Lugo emphasizing the role of motivation, technical skill...

Chief and Dr Lugo banter a bit regarding the question of whether purpose is more important than policy, or the opposite? Or is there a third alternative? Does it depend on intent? But isn't that purpose? Or is purpose different than intent? How is that communicated to the team? So many questions! Listen in for perspectives.

Although Dr Lugo and Chief agree that loyalty is important within any organization, they banter about loyalty to whom or what. Chief has to remind Lugo that the Universe does not understand either/or. It understands AND. So can loyalty be shared among several entities? Maybe. Maybe not!

Here's a previously aired throw-back episode.

Last week, Dr Lugo introduced the concept of the Execution Framework. Part of last week's discussion was about how to get things done. This week Dr Lugo and Chief discuss how to decide what to do, the Decision Framework. The discussion includes the 20/80 Rule, Eisenhower's Matrix, and the OODA Loop.

Celebrating 53 years since joining the United States Air Force, Chief shares his thoughts on how things were and how they're not anymore.  Dr Lugo joins int to discuss the Deception Box and the Education Framework. Some history and some futures in this episode....

No matter how focused we are. No matter all the planning we've done, disruptions happen! Usually when we don't want them to happen or aren't prepared for them. What do we do then? With his newly-found knowledge of CTQ (Critical To Quality) Requirements, which Dr Lugo describes as "the voice of the customer," Chief Vásquez asks Dr Lugo even more questions. He's, obviou...

Chief and Dr Lugo create some energy in this episode. Chief suggests a discussion on the saying, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” That gets things rolling. Is the future predictable? Do Chief and Lugo agree? Will Dr Lugo actually agree with Chief? They discuss many perspectives and topics including CTQ (Critical to Quality) requirements which Lugo educates Chief on and ends wi...

Dr Lugo and Chief continue their bantering about an array of topics that are trending on social media as the new year begins. A hot topic for the team is where people work best. Where's the best place for employees to do their work? Chief supports a hybrid concept. Dr Lugo might not. Both agree that leaders must look to the future constantly and consistently.

Dr Lugo and Chief Vásquez wish their listeners a Happy New Year as they begin a new season of new topics. This episode includes the idea of "trends" or "what's trending." They discuss social, economic, and cultural trends, and their effects on leading and creating futures. Can't leave out AI! What effect does it have on organizational futures? And what about working f...

Dr Lugo and Chief conclude the season with their discussion on gratitude, valuing, and appreciating. As the holiday season approaches, those concepts are important to consider and practice, particularly when maintaining our personal resilience. We thank all of our listeners for following us and hope that what you've heard in these episodes will help empower you to be your best self. We'r...

Dr Lugo and Chief share their thoughts on the importance and significance of Veteran's Day. It's not about grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. Having served in the military, they both have experiences and perspectives on that holiday, including the concepts of unity, community, culture, initiative, and purpose.

Dr Lugo and Chief Vásquez discuss a most important practice that many leaders neglect, the practice of solitude, and its power. Dr Lugo express how leaders, and people in general, often lose their ability to hear their own voice and tend to repeat what others are saying. Chief shares how reflecting on one's character affects one's leadership.  

In this episode, Dr Lugo and Chief think, then share, their thoughts on the idea of thinking. They discuss Future's Thinking including Jim Dator's Four Futures and other thoughts on thoughts. Thinking is good, but as Dr Lugo says, it has to evolve into action!

We often discuss how to be a leader, but seldom contemplate where does leading start. Dr Lugo and Chief share their thoughts on leading oneself, or Self Leadership. Dr Lugo suggests that there are two areas to consider to begin the process, What's Important and Time Management. Of course, Chief will banter with him, but they'll agree in the end.  

Here's part 2 of our discussion on Coaching with our guest, Mr Timmothy Dickens, who is a professional executive coach, among other things. We talked about the history, the context, the skills of coaching and how to do it correctly, in the first episode. Here we continue the discussion of the future of coaching, including the affects of AI on this important communication and development proce...

As we do periodically, we recently did a LIVE! episode of Leaders and Futures with our guest, Mr Timmothy Dickens, who is a professional executive coach, among other things. We talked about the history, the context, the skills of coaching and how to do it correctly. Yeah, we bantered a little. A lot of fun and learning by all!

Dr Lugo and Chief Vásquez banter a bit about the importance and effect that first impressions make, positive and negative, and how leaders are perceived by the first impressions they set. Dr Lugo suggests that they must be consistent, values-based, and aligned with organizational goals and purpose in order to have a positive impact. 

UCLA men's basketball coach, John Wooden, used to start every season by training his teams how to wear their socks properly. Talk about fundamentals! Well, his teams won...A LOT! So Dr Lugo and Chief Vásquez discuss some of the fundamentals of leading. Although not an exhaustive list, it's at least a start, whether you're a new leader or need to be reminded of what it takes to lead...

Chief inspires Dr Lugo to agree with him on what's MOST valued. Well, almost. They may agree to disagree, but agreeably. What's most important in creating value? Is it the process? Is it the product? Is it the service? Is it a combination? Listen in to discover the ultimate answer....

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? That's ALMOST the discussion that Dr Lugo and Chief have in this episode. Describing their own perspectives on which happens first and the importance of each, Chief and Dr Lugo banter a bit until they come to a conclusion. Or do they? Chief primes Dr Lugo for next week's discussion which answers Chief's question, "What I value MOST!&quo...

Periodically, we do a LIVE version of our show, which we did on 8 August. We invited author and CEO, Stephen Sontsrom, to join us to discuss the tenets of his book, Leadership in Two Steps. Focusing on his book but opening up to other topics, here's PART 2 of that discussion.