FROM WAR ROOM TO CORPORATE OFFICES...BOOT CAMP EXPERIENCE USES MILITARY PHILOSOPHY TO TEACH LEADERSHIP SUCCESS
(Program Comes to Houston September 27-29, 2010)
Houston, TX — Running a company amid the current economic strife (compounded by the impact of the massive Gulf oil spill) can feel like navigating through a war zone. It takes effective leadership to survive and thrive in business...not unlike the strong military leadership needed to master a battlefield.
A three-day intensive Leadership Boot Camp Experience slated for September 27-29 at the Marriott Courtyard Houston (The Woodlands, 1020 Lake Front Circle) will blend business leadership operatives with military principles. The program is led by Academy Leadership, a Pennsylvania-based leadership training company comprised of Naval Academy and West Point graduates who have paired business acumen honed as successful CEOs with years of military leadership in the United States Army and Navy.
Leadership Boot Camp sessions are led by David Howe, a 1971 US Naval Academy graduate and retired Navy Captain. Howe, an inventor and business developer who resides in The Woodlands, brings 27 years of leadership expertise in the manufacturing, machining services, infrastructure development, structural finance and financial services industries. Since 2007 Howe has owned and operated Palacios Auto and Towing in Palacios, and is a principal in a technology startup -- Trigon Holdings, LC.
Issues addressed during three days of goal-focused, outcome driven workshops include: identifying your leader's compass," managing time, leading productive meetings, goal setting, communicating as a leader, motivating people, conflict management and coaching others.
The military is in the business of training leaders and making leaders," Howe said. As an officer, you are always resource-constrained, but you still must accomplish goals. That is why leading your people is so critical. A good leader needs to know what to do and when to do it."
Leadership from Howe's Military PerspectiveHowe knows first-hand the importance of being prepared. During the Vietnam War, Howe, as a Combat Information Center watch officer responsible for enemy detection and defense, effectively managed the personnel under his supervision when an unidentified air craft coming over the border from China was detected by his ship's radar heading in direction of the 7th Fleet four carrier battle group in the Gulf of Tonkin. As the anti-air warfare ship responsible in this scenario, we had missiles on the rail and were poised effectively to take down the aircraft," Howe said. The watch team had to keep calm and focused in order to make split second assessments and to take appropriate action. It takes a lot of discipline, proper training, clear and concise communication and a thorough understanding of the rules of engagement."
Like other Academy Leadership facilitators, Howe has used the skills and leadership honed in the military to successfully support organizations ranging from Fortune100 corporations to his most recent technology start-up business. Prior to retiring from the Naval Reserve in 1997, Howe served on active duty for 11 years as a Surface Warfare Officer at sea in the Navy's Cruiser Destroyer forces and also attended the U.S. Navy's Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, earning an MS degree in Management. He also served in the U.S. Naval Reserve for 15 years, including five Commanding Officer assignments.
As a business owner and former JP Morgan senior vice president, Howe recognizes that good leadership is just as vital in the business world as it is in the military. Particularly as the economy bounces back, it is imperative for companies to have the best leaders possible at the forefront. If you don't have excellent teamwork you cannot succeed," he said. Companies that fail generally have poor leadership. Consistently outstanding companies have people who are always very capable leaders and who coach their key managers to be effective leaders as well."
The Academy Leadership Philosophy: Leadership Can be LearnedContrary to popular belief, the most effective leaders are not born leaders" according to Academy Leadership. Leadership can be learned. In fact, in an Academy Leadership survey, CEOs said they were born with only 40 percent of their leadership abilities. The remaining 60 percent they developed through experience and education.
The Leadership Boot Camp Experience, offered nationwide by Academy Leadership, produces leaders who energize their teams, enable their people to see a clear relationship between their daily duties and organizational goals, and instill smart work strategies throughout the company to achieve tangible results. The leadership training company was founded in 2000.
In this business climate, where companies are downsizing and getting leaner, leaders need to be more effective, and do more with less. At Leadership Boot Camp, we'll give you the tools to do that."
Editor's Note: To schedule a media interview with David Howe, contact Leza Raffel at (215) 884-6499.