Video Games and Overcoming Resistance to Kill

Various media sources have been giving a lot of attention recently to the role of violence in video games and its effect on the players.  The two basic positions are that either the worst of these games have an undesirable and negative effect on the player or that no, the players can separate fantasy from reality and have no problem from playing these games.  Perhaps it can be either, depending on the player but it's clear that we should continue to collect the data and document the results.

To understand some of the effects of video games, you need to go back to debriefings conducted by the U.S. Army after WWII. Interviewing soldiers returning from battle, researchers discovered a disturbing fact. A significant number of soldiers had been face to face with an enemy soldier, rifle in hand, enemy in their sights, gun not jammed, and had not fired. Something deep in their being, some sort of innate humanity, or values instilled early on, had prevented them from actually pulling the trigger.

     
This was very disturbing to the military. They began a research effort to figure out what to do about this problem. They discovered that in the heat of battle, under the incredible physical and psychological stress of being faced with another human being you were supposed to kill, the higher mental functions were largely absent. Under such conditions, the mind reverts to much simpler modes of operation, to deeply wired, almost instinctive behaviors. In other words, no amount of target practice and classroom lectures about how you're supposed to kill the enemy had much effect when it counted.

     
Over the following decades and wars, the Army learned that the way to get soldiers to reliably pull the trigger was to use very basic, repetitive operant conditioning, along the lines of standard behaviorist theory. Behaviorism provides a poor model for how humans act in everyday life, but it turns out to be a fairly good model for how humans act when they are under stress and have to act quickly, and are responding primarily to fear. Under stress, fearful people do what they have been conditioned to do.  That is one reason we have repetitive fire drills, so that we know how to react in an urgent situation.

     
The Army's solution was to replace dry target practice with realistic training grounds, complete with pop-up targets, loud noises, smoke, stress, the works. The goal was to condition the soldiers: if it moves, shoot it now, don't think about it. Repetition, repetition, repetition: Target pops up, you shoot. Target pops up, you shoot. Do that often enough, and, research shows, next time you see something pop up, you are more likely to shoot it, even if it's a real human in a real battle. Sometimes it’s called “friendly fire” when it is a mistake.  This is not just a theory, it is documented by exit interviews from soldiers in later wars: The Army got what it wanted.

     
What does this have to do with video games? The answer should be obvious. The whole point is, if it moves, shoot it. Again and again and again.  The military uses all kinds of expensive simulators, basically high powered video games, similar to what kids use every day, to train its recruits and to overcome the aversion to killing.   And there is evidence to suggest that those who are expert at gaming are some of the best and most effective fighter pilots and soldiers.  In the end, if you believe in war, maybe video gaming is a good thing for survival!  The downside is that, in most cases, the enemy is also trained in shoot to kill.  Is it that he who presses the right buttons faster wins?

     
The cost for soldiers who survive, as witnessed by the increase in post-traumatic stress, is devastating.   As many as one-third of the homeless men in the U.S. are Viet Nam veterans, most of them suffering from PTSD and we are only beginning to count the cost from the years of human destruction in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

     
What can we learn from this?  Whether or not violent video games cause aggressive behavior may not be the real issue.  Perhaps the real question that needs to be explored is whether video gaming might contribute to an acceptance of the need to destroy the “enemy” without any need to feel anger or anything that can be consciously identified as aggressive behavior.   After all, it’s just a game.

Here is a sample:

“Hunched with his troops in a dusty, wind-swept courtyard, the squad leader signals the soldiers to line up against a wall. Clasping automatic weapons, they inch single-file toward a sandy road lined with swaying palm trees.

The squad leader orders a point man to peer around the corner, his quick glance revealing several foes lying in wait behind a smoldering car. A few hand signals, a quick flash of gunfire, and it's over.  The enemy is defeated, but no blood is spilled, no bullet casings spent: All the action is in an Xbox-based training simulator for the military, called Full Spectrum Warrior.”   (Associated Press 10/03)

Finally, here is something which should also concern all of us.  When many people see a real video, shot live, they think that because it’s seen on a screen, that it’s not real when it is.  It’s just like a video game or worse, a television program with a script and actors and made up in a studio or on a set somewhere like a movie.  If you want to test that out on yourself, take a look at some of the current, live, very real, military videos and register your own cognitive and emotional response.  This is somewhat the flip side of the video gaming issue and equally important because it is very real and not a game.

     
Not every child or adult playing video games will develop aggressive behaviors and only a small percentage will become soldiers who are trained to do what soldiers must do.  The point is that both children and adults can be easily influenced by the media and high powered, well- conceived video games.  What the short and long term results are will continue to be debated but there is compelling evidence to suggest we better take a hard look at what is happening as a result of violent video gaming.

BLOG # 100 - The Spirit of Effective Leadership

I started this blog two years ago and without any prescribed schedule, I wrote something when the spirit moved me.  In honor of the one-hundredth blog, I reviewed some of the earlier ones and this is an excerpt from the second one that I wrote, September 3, 2011.

I believe the “spirit” of the outstanding leaders I have known can be seen, heard and felt in at least the following ten ways.  These are not in any order of priority.

 

1 - Enthusiastic and energetic - There are many different ways of expressing one’s spirit of enthusiasm, whether overtly or more quietly, but we most often characterize this contagious quality as passion, thus strong feelings that are shared.

2.  Positive and optimistic - While best balanced with a heavy dose of realism, the expression of hope in the present and for the future is a quality of spirit that any good leader is well-advised to have in his or her repertoire of attitudes.

3.  Caring and compassionate - A spirit of genuine concern for others and their well-being goes a long way toward helping a community to develop an ethos of mutual support and collegiality.

4.  Inquiring and curious - The leader who asks thoughtful questions and demonstrates the spirit of an inquiring mind helps to further the conversations to a deeper level of understanding.

5.  Conscientious and intentional – Designing change requires a spirit that is transparent so that others may see how seriousness of purpose pervades the leader.

6.  Pleasant, friendly and joyful  - As one friend and colleague puts it, “be kind, tell the truth and say thank you.”   Good manners, social grace and comfort in a crowd contribute significantly to the perception of one who is “at home” easily and genuinely.

7.  Confident and courageous – Unafraid to make hard decisions, even unpopular at times, the leader is able to take a stand, express convictions and move forward, even in the face of opposition.  It helps to take others along on this often perilous journey.

8.   Humble and modest – Without any need to be boastful, arrogant or prideful, the leader allows his or her deeds to speak for themselves.  Such a spirit speaks volumes without having to say a word.

9.  Creative and open - The leader exhibits a mind that seeks and welcomes new ideas.  This is the mind that works like the proverbial parachute, best when open.   However it is not change for the sake of something new.

10.  Fair and firm -  These qualities speak of a balanced response, an attitude that knows how to assess and when to draw the line.   This works with both individuals and groups and the leader’s spirit sets the stage, the tone and the process.

 

Many of these qualities of spirit overlap and are part of a larger dimension of one’s personality, having to do with attitudes and behaviors, as defined earlier.  It's E.Q. trumping I.Q. one more time. The  point of all of this is that being aware of how these play in the environment in which one works can really make a big difference in the outcomes of so much that you want to accomplish and these make it easier to get a lot done without caring who gets the credit.  Most importantly, these are qualities for good mental and physical well-being.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Why do we say that you are going “back” to school?  We know generally that it means returning, often to something familiar, going “back” somewhere and that is certainly one of the meanings when using the word “back” as an adverb.  However, it also implies a past condition or situation and although we might hope for a new condition, we would probably not say that you are going “forward” to school.  This set me to wondering how what we say influences attitudes and perceptions as in, “here we go again, same old, same old, very predictable and often not very exciting or engaging.”

There may be some comfort in returning to the familiar where you know the  environment, the players and the program.  You know the expectations, you know the rules and you know how to navigate through the system relatively successfully.  Even in a different location, schools look and smell fairly much the same.  The teachers and students may have different names but they act very much the same as those in the other place.

 An alternative, an easy shift, would be to say that you are going to “start” school rather than you are going “back.”  At least, there is the hope of a fresh beginning and not merely a re-tread of last year.  As I have seen and talked with children in the past couple of weeks, I consciously asked when they were starting school rather than when were they going back to school.  I know it’s a very small thing, and maybe it makes no difference at all, but it made a difference to me as I asked them what they were looking forward to as they thought about starting school.   Kids tend to tell you the truth and if you go as far as asking them what they might like to change about school, they can tell you that too!

Here is one such conversation:  

Me:  When do you start school?

She:  Tomorrow!

Me:  You sound excited to start a new grade.

She:  Yeah, I am.

Me:  Let’s see, you must be about third grade?

She:   No, fourth.

Me:   So, you’re 9 years old?

She:  Yes.

Me:  What are you looking forward to as you start school?

She:  Seeing my friends and being in a new room.

Me:  Do you know your new teacher?

She:  She’s the same one I had last year, she’s moving up with us.

Me:   Is that good?

She:  Yes, I really like her and she has lots of fun things for us to do.

Me:  So going to school and learning can be fun?

She:  Oh, yes, and there is so much to do, lots of different things.

Me:  Is there anything you would change about your school?

She:  Yes, I would have it be longer.

Me:  You mean you would like to go to school more days or longer days?

She:  Uh, I think more days.

Me:  Well, you are a very lucky girl and it sounds like you will have a good year, at least I hope so.

She:  Bye, I have to go now.

Just a couple of minutes of a conversation while we were sitting in an airport and this girl was the oldest of three children, mom and dad holding the other two, babies, in their arms with a large stroller in tow.  I watched the interaction between parents and children – loving, adoring, calm, focused, and all three kids reflected an early air of confidence and security.  My hunch is that this 4^th grade girl is going to have a great year, that she is a happily engaged student and if I were her teacher, I would certainly love to have her (and her parents) among my class.  We would have a great start to a new year.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF ROAD TRIP

I had the opportunity recently to spend several days in Wyoming at Brush Creek Ranch where fly fishing is a major activity along with numerous other western sports such as archery, sporting clays and targets, horseback riding and a lot of social interaction around food and drink.  Needless to say perhaps but those days of delight were filled with being engaged in lots of activity.  And the company of a couple of special family members made it even more meaningful and enjoyable.

However, during the trip to and from the ranch, I decided to take a different approach and in addition to escaping the interstates and expressways, I chose instead to travel some of William Least Heat Moon’s highways.  And, I did not intentionally take a GPS although I had a couple of good, old-fashioned maps which allowed me to see the bigger picture and make some on the spot choices about a different route here and there, or from here to there, and there to here.  Here is northern New Mexico and there is southeastern Wyoming, just over Snowy Range in Medicine Bow National Forest.  The lesson here is seeing the big picture and making conscious choices.

In addition to less than the fastest route, how quickly we can get somewhere or how fast we can get the job done, even with a high level of efficiency, I also chose to drive under the speed limit by at least 5-10 miles per hour.  This was not to annoy other drivers although at times, I know it did.  What it did for me was not only to gain better fuel consumption but to allow me to relax and enjoy the scenery so much more, even being able to stop if I saw something of particular interest.  Driving at or above the speed limit, which is my usual practice, carries an element of stress which was eliminated completely.  The goal was not the arrival at the end of the journey but rather being more immersed in the journey itself and not see it simply as a means to the end.

Besides spectacular scenery in New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming, I saw many more details that would have otherwise passed by in a blur.  Those details included wildlife, architecture, small town cultures, local cuisine, and one of my favored pastimes of flea markets and antique shops. There was also the usual music, NPR and chatter on the radio, if I wanted it, and often that was silent to avoid any distraction.

This was a nourishing road trip, soul food if you will, and I look forward to the next one whenever and wherever it will be. Lots of lessons learned!

"We Will Call You Back"

Since when have customer service operations started putting a customer on hold for up to an hour and offering to call back?  Here is the scenario.

I got a call from American Airlines this morning saying that an upgrade request for an upcoming trip has been confirmed and I am to call an 800 number to determine which account the miles should be taken from and what credit card I want to use for the surcharge of $350.  So, this evening I pick up the phone dial the number provided and get the message about wait time between one hour and one hour and ten minutes.  How the hell do they know that?  I did not leave my number to call back and I was not going to be on hold for an hour.  Instead I dialed another American number I keep on my phone and the wait time for that number is only twenty-three minutes.  Same deal.  I can hold or leave a number and they will call me back.  I left my number and will write this while I wait.

I am working with a publishing company on a manuscript and if I sign in to their web site and leave my phone number, my phone rings immediately and someone answers on the other end.  All I do is give them my account number and either that person can give me the information I need or they transfer me immediately to someone else who has the answer or information I need.  I don't know who is bigger, Amazon or American Airlines, and it makes no difference to me.  What does make the difference is the way they treat their customers who are willing to spend real money for their services.

The best response is when you call a number and a real person answers, not some recording offering a menu of choices from one through eight for various departments.  Oh yes, if you know the extension of the person you're calling, you can punch that in and most often get a recording telling you how important the call is.  I like the real person on the other end, flesh and blood and brains, and we often get along famously because I'm in a good mood.  Some human being, usually with sufficient knowledge, has answered in real time and I don't have to waste time waiting, calling back or waiting to be called back.

Enough already.  I am going to start rating customer service based on how the company deals with telephone calls and I will rate them from one to ten, one being the absolute worst and ten being the best.  Once a company gets three ones, unless it's a local utility, most of which are not very good although better than average, I will look elsewhere for a place to take my business where I at least have the distinct impression that they really do care about their customers.   Some places even know my name without my having to provide the city where I was born and my mother's maiden name.
Those places go to the top of my list.  No wonder there are big companies having problems competing in today's marketplace.  American Airlines isn't the only carrier that goes across the pond. They haven't called back as yet.

How would you rate your own company, organization or group?  How do you think others would rate you?  Are you willing to find out?  Go ahead, ask!

TWO ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Margaret Wheatley has published an excerpt from her new book, So Far From Home: Lost and Found in Our Brave New World, published by Berrett Koehler.  I haven’t read the book but I read the excerpt called “8 Fearless Questions.” You can read it here for yourself here and see what you think :http://www.margaretwheatley.com/articles/eightfearlessquestions.html

What follows is what it spawned in my early morning thoughts on this day.  I picked up two questions that I wanted to address briefly and they are these: What do you call yourself and what is the relationship between hope and fear?  These can be two essential, defining questions and your answers may reveal a lot about who you are and what you are about.

Each of us has a name by which we have become known, a name given to us by our parents, a name sometimes chosen at random, or from a list of popular baby names, sometimes by family traditions, and sometimes with special meaning.  In some cultures a name has particular significance with regard to a blessing or something sacred.  Indigenous people seemed a whole lot better at this, maybe because they lived closer to nature?

Beyond a given name however, what do you call yourself as some kind of identification? It may have to do with your role as a worker, as some kind of survivor, as a citizen of a particular nation or the member of a group or association. It could be one of the big 8 social identifiers such as ability (physical and mental), age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation. Think for a moment how circumscribed those may be or how limiting. Is "writer" or "author" sufficient?  Even the word "American" can be controversial because when we are south of the border we are "Norte Americanos" and technically so are the Mexican people because they are still north of Central and South America.  Some people were identified as members of a particular tribe, a social division of families or communities with a lot in common.  Occupation or vocation? 

Rather than define ourselves by what we do, how about defining ourselves by who we are, our essential nature as human beings rather than human doings?  The essence or ground of our being brings to mind the writings and work of Paul Tillich, especially in The Shaking of the Foundations, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1955. 

 "The name of infinite and inexhaustible depth and ground of our being is God. That depth is what the word God means. And if that word has not much meaning for you, translate it, and speak of the depths of your life, of the source of your being, of your ultimate concern, of what you take seriously without any reservation. Perhaps, in order to do so, you must forget everything traditional that you have learned about God, perhaps even that word itself. For if you know that God means depth, you know much about Him…. For you cannot think or say: Life has no depth! Life itself is shallow. Being itself is surface only. If you could say this in complete seriousness, you would be an atheist; but otherwise you are not."  

 Perhaps we can call ourselves “believers” and that would require more discussion about where we place that belief.  As Tillich says, what is our ultimate concern, the depth of our life, our passion?  What are we to be about?  Suffice to say here that the next question may shed some light on this first one about what are we to call ourselves.

The second question has to do with the relationship between hope and fear.  What I have said for a long time is that faith and fear are perfectly correlated, inversely.  The more you have of one, the less you have of the other.  What if we were less invested in the outcome and more present and invested in the process, in the present moment?  Would that have any effect on our behavior?  On our choices?  On our relationships with our work and our colleagues?  On our connections with family, friends and neighbors?   I hope that, at the least, we believe in who we are and what we’re doing and that who we are defines what we do rather than what we do defining who we are.  Think about that!

Margaret Wheatley, in the excerpt noted at the beginning of this piece, has quite a lot to say about working beyond hope and fear, of living in the future now.  How about going beyond work and seeing what it is that motivates us to even consider the kind of work that we want to be about?  How about forming your own essential questions that define you?   If you come up with one or two that you find particularly helpful, I would be most interested in knowing what those are.  I chose my two questions based on what it was that moved me this morning to consider my continuing learning more about who I am and what I want to be about, today and all that may follow.  If you have gotten this far, let me know what you find to be your essential questions.  Thanks!

Summer Solstice

Tomorrow, June 21, marks the end of Spring, beginning of Summer.  You can read all the details about why that occurs on this site: http://geography.about.com/od/physicalgeography/a/summersolstice.htm  and learn a lot about the earth's relationship to the sun.  However, rather than get bogged down in the details, I want to reflect on the meaning of Summer from a different perspective.  It's a little like remembering what it was as a kid just out of school on the one hand and finding a way to return to that as an adult in later years with time to enjoy it again without work being a dominating presence.

I have had the privilege this past year of working occasionally, very part time, by choice, and that has been and continues to be an interesting life transition.  It is also a gift and a blessing.  It's not that I am looking for things to do to keep me busy.  I have more than enough to keep me engaged, active, entertained and involved.  For a quick example, I sit on a local non-profit Board and I am off in about 30 minutes to help move an 8x10 shed from Taos to Abiquiu to store our records and files.  The afternoon will be spent cleaning, sorting, mowing, trimming, repairing, and general maintenance on our house, barn, sheds and 6 acres of land.  That could be a full time job alone but it's not demanding work although it has numerous requirements. (I never made it back in time to do anything at home this afternoon)

Later this month we will head for Utah for a trip in our motor home and visit one of our 7 children and family and next month I go to Wyoming and join a son-in-law and grandson at a ranch for some fly fishing and other western outdoor activities.   We just entertained 20 other family members and guests for lunch this past Sunday and our we are able to enjoy our extended family more often and in more places than previously.

Earlier this month we spent four days on the Conejos River in southern Colorado. Living here in northern New Mexico, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, makes it easy to appreciate the western landscape and be close to many outdoor activities , enjoying so much of what nature offers on a daily basis from sunrise to sunset and beyond.

So for summer solstice, we celebrate another season of joyful connections with warmer weather, clear blue skies, views over the Chama River to Sierra Negra, and on the pond portal, a view of our own bosque and a few free ranging chickens that supply us with enough fresh eggs to keep us supplied for our needs and an occasional surplus to share with others.  The local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) gives us fresh produce grown and consumed locally and the summer is a time of harvest and real taste treats in the kitchen.  Summer, for me, is a time to remember good times and re-create them in a different place with many similar experiences of happy occasions with family and friends and the products of land and stream.  

I hope you find your own ways to celebrate summer solstice and the next three months prior to the autumnal equinox, another time of anticipation, appreciation, and celebration.

The Seven C's of Competent Leadership

1. Communication that is clear, concise, compelling and timely.  Stay in touch with customers'  information that keeps them connected

2. Collaboration that is supportive and encouraging.  It takes time, effort and energy,  but the results are compelling.

3. Confidence that inspires mutual trust, mutual respect and the open sharing of information, otherwise known as transparency that provides clarity.

4. Courage to take on the difficult challenges and find workable solutions, solve a problem and move forward.

5. Compassion that illustrates and demonstrates care for the well-being of individuals and the environment in which they all work.

6.  Commitment to agreed upon goals and plans and to the enduring completion of tasks and projects affecting all constituencies.

7. Character that reflets integrity, honesty, empathy, genuineness and warmth, indications of  concern for the common good.

* In addition to the beginning C word in each of the seven, find another C word or more in each number!  

Is 21st Century Education Obsolete?

Can you imagine using a cell phone that is 10 years old?  I have seen a few but not many.  Driving a 10-year- old car has become more possible since that is merely a 2003 model and cars haven’t radically changed all that much in terms of performance, especially as they enable you to get from one place to another.  And, if one is careful about maintenance (and sustainability) any good car can get 200,000 miles.  However, hybrids and other alternative fuel cars have come on the market within the past decade for the most part.  The world of consumption designs built-in obsolescence to make us believe we need the newer, better, much improved model and a lot of that is nothing more, or less, than slick marketing gimmicks.

I have several pairs of shoes and lots of clothes older than 10 years that still have a lot of wear left in them and I don’t care that much about style.  Tools in the barn?  They are pretty much the same ones as I have had for more than 10 years and still performing well.  And me?  Well, I am about to start my 77^th year and I don’t think I am quite ready to be put into the obsolete pasture just yet.  That will come soon enough, thank you very much.

But education, being defined as 21^st century, while well intentioned, and calling for reform, has yet to show widespread signs of significant change.  There are certainly bright spots here and there and signs of hope in many places where people are investing in a different kind of delivery and outcome.  But we’re still bogged down by standardized test scores, obsolete measurement and assessments that do very little for kids, bureaucratic systems that thrive on top-down, heavy-handed management, and too much one size fits all mentality.  Kids are still primarily grouped by ages.  Ken Robinson refers to that as the only thing they really have in common is their date of manufacture.  His talk on changing the paradigm is a must see and hear.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

We need another name and another concept for education that is truly reformed, truly catholic (little C, please!) and truly evangelical.  I remember that phrase from a long time ago, uttered by James I. McCord in a theological debate about reforming religion, still a big issue in my mind.  My point is that the terms could also be applied to education.  The operative word may, in fact, be truly.  Instead of tweaking the edges, adding a new course, hiring someone in charge of creative learning, etc. we need a radical re-design of the entire enterprise.  There is not much short of a revolution that will accomplish what I see is needed.  Evolution will take too long and leave too many children behind.

So, you ask, what is needed?  What can you do without “throwing out the baby with the bath water?”  For starters, ask yourself what you would do if you were starting over, what you might do if you were starting a “school” from scratch, a clean, blank slate and you can create whatever you believe will make a difference in the lives of kids, regardless of the age group you want to serve?  First, why would you do it? What would you do?  How would you do it?  Who would you like to join you in the effort?  And, finally where would you want to do that?  OK, have you gotten some answers to those questions?  Really?  Are you sure?  Maybe it’s not even a “school” as such places have been defined in the past.

Now, move to what the obstacles are that are preventing you from accomplishing reforming, reshaping and redesigning where you are.  How would you go about removing those obstacles?  Maybe it is not re-anything as that might be regression.  How about the concept of a new school within a school, not for everyone, but for those willing to take an intelligent risk on a new design for teaching and learning, emphasis on learning, not teaching?  How about that for starters?  Now come up with your own and go for it.  Need help?  Ask for it.

A Rooster Named Jack

Jack is our third in a series of roos.  The first was Rex, the chosen male of several Ameracauna roosters, and he was a kingly sort, regal in appearance and behavior.  He ruled the roost and kept his girls in sight, pretending to lead them around as our chickens are free ranging.  Although we have six acres they all tended to stay within 100 yards of their house and ours.  Rex met his demise in the jaws of an Australian Shepherd who had a certain tenacity for chasing birds of a feather flocked together. The dog was shipped off to Nevada.

Our second dominant male was Pierre, a French Black Copper Maran, really quite splendid and although his crowing was a bit off key, his strutting around the yard was definitely in step.  Imagine hearing the French National Anthem, the Marseillaise, and watching Pierre march to and fro around and among the trees.  He had grown up from a baby with his girls so they were very close and seemed to give him great respect.  The ladies really led him but let him believe otherwise.  Sound familiar?  Pierre and his ladies were sold before we departed for Mexico for a 3-month sojourn in the south for the winter months.

When we returned, we missed those fresh eggs from our own chickens and I found 5 Cuckoo Marans, one of whom we named Jack, the other 4 being his egg-laying companions and he seems to have two who are his favorites.  To say that Jack is the alpha chicken is an understatement.  He crows a lot, and not just in the early morning, but especially when someone comes around.  He even flaps his wings, just to show off.  But more than that, and what occasioned this blog is that today, I saw him chase one of the cats in a foot race not to be believed unless seen.  I wish I had been quick enough to get a video.  The cat escaped but it was close and I’m not sure what Jack would have done had he caught the cat, Cleo. Our dog  gives Jack a wide berth as do the other two cats.  They simply avoid him.

My point in all of this has to do with leadership.  Jack leads but he is offensive in doing so.  He has even threatened me a few times and if it continues, he may be sent to freezer camp.  He and I know that I am bigger and stronger and would win in the end but I don’t want to defeat Jack.   I want to respect him and in turn, I would like respect from him but I am not exactly sure how to train a rooster  It may be too late to change his bad habits.  Do you know leaders who are offensive either without knowing it or because that’s simply their style?  For some, being in charge seems to mean exerting authority by being loud, arrogant and at times, downright annoying.