Shalom Lamm

From Battlefield to Boardroom: What Operation Benjamin Teaches Us About Strategic Leadership

When purpose meets precision, real leadership begins.
Shalom Lamm didn’t just found Operation Benjamin to correct headstones—he built a case study in high-stakes leadership. What began as a mission to honor fallen Jewish-American soldiers buried under incorrect markers has grown into an international initiative demanding vision, diplomacy, and deep strategic clarity.

But what does a global historic justice campaign teach us about leading teams, organizations, or companies? As it turns out—everything.

1. Vision Anchored in Values

At the heart of Operation Benjamin is a crystal-clear purpose: restore identity and dignity to those who served. For Shalom Lamm, this mission wasn’t just emotionally significant—it was operationally non-negotiable.

In the same way, effective business or nonprofit leadership starts with a values-based vision. Whether you’re scaling a startup or leading a foundation, the clarity of your mission must serve as your compass through turbulence.

“Your mission should never be optional. If it’s truly worth doing, it should inform every strategic decision you make.” – Shalom Lamm

2. Diplomacy Is a Daily Discipline

Operation Benjamin navigates an intricate web of stakeholders: families, government agencies, military branches, foreign dignitaries, and religious authorities. This requires more than paperwork—it requires trust.

Shalom Lamm has shown that diplomacy isn’t just about negotiation—it’s about relationships built through empathy, patience, and consistency.

Leadership takeaway:
In any organization, effective leadership means aligning diverse interests while holding firm to your values. Strategic diplomacy—whether with clients, board members, or regulators—is a learned and practiced art.

3. Resilience Over Ego

When facing bureaucracy, historical red tape, or cultural resistance, ego is a liability. Lamm’s approach has always been about the outcome, not the credit.

Entrepreneurs and nonprofit founders often face burnout or pushback when their personal identity becomes too intertwined with the outcome. Operation Benjamin teaches a more enduring lesson: detach from your ego, stay attached to the mission.

“If the work is truly meaningful, it will outlive your name. That’s not defeat—it’s legacy.” – Shalom Lamm

4. Precision Matters—Even in Legacy Work

Every corrected headstone requires painstaking accuracy—military records, religious verification, DNA, and family interviews. Nothing is guessed.

This obsession with getting it right sets a standard many leaders overlook. Whether you’re building a product, campaign, or coalition—details matter. Lamm proves that even legacy-driven projects must be backed by operational excellence.

5. Scale Only What Works

Operation Benjamin didn’t go global overnight. The early years were spent refining the model—one headstone at a time. Only once the process was proven did it scale to international impact.

Strategic takeaway:
Don’t chase growth for the sake of optics. Refine your model first, then replicate it. Strategic leaders move deliberately, not just fast.

Conclusion: Purpose Is the Greatest Multiplier

What began as a correction of history became a model of modern leadership.

Through Operation Benjamin, Shalom Lamm has demonstrated how high-integrity leadership requires clarity of mission, strategic diplomacy, unshakable resilience, and an operational mindset rooted in detail and discipline.

If you’re building something that matters—whether it’s a business, a nonprofit, or a movement—look to the blueprint Shalom Lamm has already written.

It’s not just a history lesson.
It’s a masterclass in leadership.

6 Reasons to Hire Local Movers Instead of National Chains

If you’ve been Googling “moving companies near me” or trying to find the best moving company in Denver, you’re not alone. Choosing the right moving service can make or break your relocation experience. While large national franchises might have the name recognition, local movers often deliver better service, faster turnaround, and more competitive pricing.

In cities like Denver, hiring a reputable local moving company like Fischer Van Lines can be the smartest decision you make. Let’s break down why choosing a local professional mover beats going with a national chain every time.

1. Local Movers Know the Area Better

From the narrow alleys of Capitol Hill to the suburban streets of Centennial, local movers understand Denver’s layout, traffic patterns, and regulations. That means they can get the job done more efficiently than someone flying in from a central office across the country.

Fischer Van Lines, a top-rated Denver moving company, has over 20 years of experience navigating the Mile High City. Their crews know the shortcuts, the best loading zones, and how to deal with Colorado’s unpredictable weather — giving you one less thing to worry about on moving day.

2. You Get More Personalized Service

Unlike national brands that treat every customer like a transaction, local professional movers build real relationships in their communities. You’re not just another stop on a nationwide route — you’re their neighbor.

At Fischer Van Lines, the team takes the time to understand your unique needs and provide a tailored moving experience. Whether you’re booking a small apartment move or a large office relocation, they treat every job with care and professionalism.

3. Transparent Pricing and No Surprise Fees

Ever been hit with hidden fees after using a big-name moving service? It’s common with national chains. Fuel surcharges, stair carry fees, and other surprise add-ons can quickly jack up your final bill.

Local moving companies like Fischer Van Lines offer transparent pricing with no hidden costs. You’ll get an accurate quote upfront — and what you see is what you pay. That’s why so many consider them the best moving company in Denver.

4. Quicker Scheduling and More Flexibility

Need to move on short notice? National companies often have rigid schedules and may not be available when you need them. A local Denver moving company like Fischer Van Lines can often accommodate same-day or next-day moves, especially within the city.

Whether you need help with a last-minute apartment move, a business relocation, or just loading and unloading services, their flexible approach gives you peace of mind.

5. A Full Range of Residential and Commercial Services

Don’t let the word “local” fool you — many local movers offer the same comprehensive services as the big guys, without the corporate red tape. Fischer Van Lines provides:

  • Residential moving services for houses, condos, and apartments

  • Commercial moving company solutions for local businesses

  • Office movers with experience in relocating desks, servers, and sensitive equipment

  • Long-distance movers for out-of-state transitions

  • Moving and storage services, including short- and long-term secure storage

This one-stop-shop approach means you won’t have to coordinate between multiple vendors.

6. Support for Your Local Economy

Hiring a Denver moving company means keeping your money in your community. You’re supporting local jobs, small business growth, and people who are invested in your satisfaction — not just shareholders in another state.

Fischer Van Lines is a family-owned and operated business that has built its reputation one successful move at a time.

Final Thoughts

If you want a smoother, more affordable, and more dependable relocation experience, skip the nationwide chains and go with the team that knows your city. For those in the Mile High City, Fischer Van Lines is the trusted name in residential, commercial, and long-distance moving.

Ready to move?

Call 720-297-9904 or visit www.fischervanlines.com to get a free quote from Denver’s most experienced moving and storage services provider.

Unmasking the Hidden Needs of Remote Employees: Scott De Long’s Employee Development Plan

As remote work becomes increasingly prevalent in today’s workforce, organizations must understand the hidden needs of their remote employees. Remote work offers flexibility and freedom but presents unique challenges that can impact employee development and well-being. Scott De Long Ph. D., an experienced educator, and lifelong learner, has developed an employee development plan that addresses these hidden needs. With a focus on humility, empathy, and vulnerability, De Long’s plan aims to create meaningful relationships and stronger teams in remote work environments.

  • The Importance of Remote Employee Development

Statistics show that remote work has been on the rise, with 74% of organizations planning to permanently shift to more remote work post-pandemic. While remote work offers benefits such as increased productivity and work-life balance, it also presents communication, collaboration, and employee engagement challenges. Therefore, investing in remote employee development is essential for organizations to thrive in the evolving work landscape.

  • Scott De Long’s Educational Background

Scott De Long, who has been an adjunct professor at Chapman University, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his employee development plan. With a master’s degree in Leadership Development as well as a doctorate in Education with an emphasis in Leadership Studies, De Long understands the importance of continuous learning and growth.

  • The Key Principles: Humility, Empathy, and Vulnerability

Dr. De Long’s employee development plan revolves around three guiding principles: humility, empathy, and vulnerability. These principles encourage leaders and employees to redefine success beyond material achievements and prioritize meaningful relationships. By embracing emotional intelligence and team development, organizations can foster a culture of respect, trust, and collaboration in remote work environments.

  • Lead2Goals: Coaching, Counseling, and Training for Growth-Oriented Organizations: 

De Long’s Lead2Goals organization specializes in coaching, counseling, and training for growth-oriented organizations. They offer various services, including developing corporate culture, effective communication strategies, team building, leadership training, and strategic planning. Lead2Goals believes in the holistic development of individuals and emphasizes the importance of developing people alongside improving processes.

  • Off-Site Retreats for Effective Strategic Planning: 

Lead2Goals encourages organizations to invest in off-site company retreats for strategic planning purposes. These retreats allow teams to break their daily routine and focus solely on strategic initiatives. Organizations can develop robust strategic plans that align with their vision, mission, and core values by creating a conducive environment for brainstorming and collaboration.

  • Leadership Development Programs: 

Lead2Goals offers executive coaching and training programs to help leaders develop their skills and enhance their leadership styles. Their Circle of Trust process emphasizes building relationships and understanding objectives. Whether through one-on-one coaching or group sessions, Lead2Goals helps leaders become more effective and inspiring.

Conclusion: In the ever-evolving landscape of remote work, understanding the hidden needs of employees is crucial for organizational success. Scott De Long’s employee development plan, focusing on humility, empathy, and vulnerability, offers a path toward creating meaningful relationships and stronger teams in remote work environments. By investing in employee development and embracing the principles outlined in De Long’s plan, organizations can thrive in the new era of work. Lead2Goals stands ready to assist organizations in realizing their goals and unlocking their full potential through thoughtful implementation of their mission, vision, and core values.

REACH THOSE GOLDEN INFLUENCERS WITH LINKEDIN ADS

Should you be sharing content on LinkedIn?

Yes, you should if you’re a small business and just getting started. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to get your brand in front of targeted influencers. And you do the targeting!

LinkedIn is aggressively pursuing its goal to become the go-to place for real-time business news.

Control that granular over B2B targets is LinkedIn’s specialty.

Using their Sponsored Updates, you can reach some very specific target audiences by:

Job title

Level of seniority

Industry

Department

or Company.

Costs for doing this are very reasonable on LinkedIn. Most small businesses find their clicks to be around $4.00. But if your CTR (click-through rate) is high, you can get a substantial discount on your CPC (cost per click).

FIVE EASY WAYS TO FAIL AT LINK-BUILDING AND RUIN YOUR REPUTATION AT THE SAME TIME

Link building. It’s time-consuming, often confusing, and sometimes downright tedious. Plenty of even the most “expert” bloggers just wish that it wasn’t necessary – that the search engines would start paying less attention to who is linking to a blog. But that is not going to happen in the foreseeable future.

Links are still the easiest way for a search engine bot to determine the importance and trustworthiness of any site on the web. Content quality has become far more important than it was perhaps before the coming of the great Google Panda back in 2011, but links are still an important ranking factor, whatever your blog’s niche, with everything from a car wash POS site to a blog about cats and bunny rabbits needing good links to help build the traffic it needs to survive.

Bad link-building techniques can kill your website’s reputation with search engines very quickly. Some bad link-building is a result of a person’s lack of knowledge, while some are downright black hat and very naughty. Here are five ways you should never try to build links – or let someone build them for you.

  • Submitting your URL to hundreds of directories, both free and paid, these days is a great way to attract some really rotten links. These directories themselves have very poor rankings, as the majority of them are filled with spam now (sad but true, as they were once decent resources). This is a great way to devalue your site in the eyes of search engines because you are hanging in a bad neighborhood.
  • Join a bunch of forums and create a forum signature that is crammed with links. Then ask the same question in a dozen different forums. Find yourself banned from every decent on-topic forum because you are a spammer. The admins who run good forums talk to each other, and word about spammers tends to travel fast.
  • Create a couple of Quora accounts. Use one to post a question about where to get the best information about (X) when information about (X) is exactly what your blog offers. Wait a day, go back with another Quora account, and answer your own question with – surprise! – a link back to your own site. And do it all from the same IP address. Wait another day and then go back and find your accounts suspended and your links removed.
  • When blog commenting, do nothing but plug your site. Add absolutely no value to the conversation. Don’t even bother to read the blog post you are commenting on; just add “nice post, dude” everywhere. And then sign your post with a spammy keyword-stuffed “name,” not your own. Wait a while, and watch as you become the object of hatred of every good blogger in your niche. However, on the upside, some of them might even include you in a post – a post about how much they hate spammers.
  • Follow the example of a really big company. Hire an over-ambitious SEO firm to build links for you. Don’t pay any attention to what they are doing; just keep throwing money at them. Suddenly rank for ALL your keywords and even some you had never even thought of. Rejoice. Then cringe in horror as you are exposed to the world by the New York Times for link buying, search engine manipulation, and link farming. Well, maybe you won’t make the New York Times, but it never hurts to dream.