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READ, WRITE, REFLECT

Lead with your very best self

WHO IS JOE?

In 2013, Joe Byerly thought something was missing in his journey to become a better leader. He wanted to create a place where leaders could share their hard-won lessons and help each other along the journey. He started looking in the place where he captured his own lessons, quotes from books, and ideas for the future –his green notebook.

Today, FTGN is run by a team of passionate professionals who want to help others lead with the best version of themselves.

See Joe's Reading List

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“HOW TO” GUIDES

Creating an Army Master Tactician Additional Skill Identifier

by David Weart Editor’s Note: This article was modified from its originally published version on February 7th, 2023. Simply stated, the Army should expand the Master Tactician Test (MTT) offered at the Command and General Staff Operations Course (CGSOC) and...

A Father-Daughter Book Club Review of Slaughterhouse-Five

by Amy Padilla My father is a retired Marine Corps Major General and a combat veteran who gave over 37 years of his life to the service. He is now living his best life in Woodland Park, CO, enjoying retirement and lots of time with family. A big part of his retirement...

Searching for a Purpose in Professional Military Education

by David Kahan My time at the Captain’s Career Course (CCC) was a disappointment. Arriving at Fort Huachuca, Arizona in April 2022, I hoped that Military Intelligence CCC (MICCC) might help either to prepare me for my next position or teach me useful skills that...

Ep 80: Joe Hart- How to Take Command

Joe Hart, the President and CEO of Dale Carnegie & Associates, joins the show to discuss his recently published book, Take Command: Find Your Inner Strength, Build Enduring Relationships, and Live the Life You Want. Joe and Joe talk about the importance of...

Counterproductive Leadership: Impact to People and the Organization

by Jakob Hutter Effective leaders who demonstrate confidence, courage, compassion, and character enable an organization’s success. Stay in any organization long enough, and you will understand that counterproductive leaders can leave serious harm to both the...

Perception is Reality, But is it?

by M. Chris Wingate Perception is reality. We’ve all heard this phrase; and most of us have likely used it at some point in time. When leaders use the phrase “perception is reality” they are likely making assumptions about others without taking the time to learn if...

Sixteen Things I Wish I Could Tell My Senior Rater

Authors’ Note: The authors of this post, @notyourtacofficer and @therecoveringcommander, are mid-career, post company-command officers wallowing in their KD-complete broadening assignment lives and contemplating what’s next. Referred to as the, “meme-lords of a...

Ep 79: Command Sergeant Major JoAnn Naumann- When Adversity Strikes

Command Sergeant Major JoAnn Naumann shares her powerful story of coming to the realization that something wasn’t right internally and if she wanted to lead others, she needed to begin with herself. Joe and JoAnn discuss stigmas with asking for help, the...

Running the Race, Real-Time Resilience

by Caleb Miller The Olympic runner Eric Liddell, of Chariots of Fire fame, would say that “he felt God’s pleasure” when he ran. I have no idea what he is talking about. I’ve always hated running. I’m not bad at it – that doesn’t mean I like it. One of the...

The Genius of Sherlock Holmes

by Paul W. Smith Admittedly, I am probably late regarding my admiration of this particular subject, but thanks to the glory of my DVR I have been reintroduced to the show Elementary, a modern take on the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Joan Watson. Watching the...

Ep 78: Steven Pressfield- The Story We Tell Ourselves

Steven Pressfield returns to the podcast to discuss his newest book, Govt Cheese: A Memoir. He recounts his decades-long journey in “the wilderness”, working as a truck driver, apple picker, and struggling screenwriter, before...

What Reading Taught Me About Living in 2022

By Joe Byerly Lesson #1: The finish line is never fixed Several authors warned about the dangers of hitching our happiness to goal achievement. Too many of us spend years doing things we don’t enjoy while sacrificing the things that bring us fulfillment, all in the...

LEADERSHIP

Perception is Reality, But is it?

Plan, Anticipate, and Respond: Reflections on Company Command

by Jakob Hutter Two months ago, I relinquished command of my company, ending a chapter in one of the most fulfilling, humbling, and finest experiences I have had in my military career. This included an eXportable Combat Training Capability (XCTC) exercise in Camp...

Blind Intent and Vision-Impaired Guidance

By Joel P. Gleason Road Trips & Staff Meetings My wife and I have spent 20 years having the same discussion on road trips. As dinner approaches and the kids get hungry, we agree that we should stop at a restaurant but, as we drive past rows of options, I...

Thinking Outside the Box: The Use of Social Media and Virtual Work in the Development of Effective Communication at WHINSEC

by Moacir Mendonca, Rolly Sanchez, and Cesar Soto-Ramos In today’s ever-changing academic and global security environment, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) quickly adapted and successfully overcame many challenges that unfurled at...

10 More Ways Commanders Can Embolden their PAO and Communicate Better

by Kevin Sandell Editor’s Note: This is the second of a two-part series focused on improving your unit’s communication efforts through your Public Affairs Office. The first part of this series can be read here. The unit public affairs office (PAO) – and...

The One Thing Series: No Longer One of the Guys

by Chad Corrigan One thing I learned early in Squadron command is that I was no longer one of the guys. You cross a major threshold when you transition from company grade through field grade time and on to Squadron Command. I may have felt the same, but I wasn’t...

The One Thing Series: Leading in the Present

by Christopher Williams “The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good...

A Different Point of View: A Military Child’s Perspective of the Task

By McKenzie Dull My dad was a soldier in the United States Army long before I was born. It is all I have ever known. Being around people who serve is a way of life to me and something I took for granted and did not fully understand. It wasn’t until recently, after...

The One Thing I Wish I Would Have Known…

Leaders, This summer many of you are changing out of position. We’ve got a question for you: What’s the one thing you wish you would have known before you started the job? We all have the one nugget of wisdom we learned the hard way that we wish we would...

Moral Injury: A Primer

by Caleb Miller Military professionals are relatively familiar with general mental health and PTSD; a newer concept, “moral injury,” has been growing in popularity for the past few decades among top leaders, counselors, psychologists and chaplains. Since the month of...

Strength in Inclusion

by Jakob Hutter A unique characteristic of the United States military is the diverse makeup of people and their ideas. When service members of different races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, and other identities have a shared understanding and...

The Science and Art of Command

by Michael Everett Does the Army practice Mission Command? Or Command and Control? After the 2019 update to ADP 6-0 Mission Command, many young leaders are confused about the terms command and control and mission command. The bottom line is this: Mission command is...