In 1992, following the Rodney King verdict, I was working public safety patrol at Morehouse College.
As I moved through the Atlanta University Center that evening, I could feel the tension in the air. People were gathering. Vehicles were moving through the area differently. The atmosphere no longer felt normal.
Near Clark Atlanta University and the Woodruff Library, I noticed a group pass a small bookstore. Nothing I observed at that moment proved what would happen—but my experience told me to pay attention.
Before the night ended, that building had been firebombed.
That experience taught me an enduring lesson: major events rarely begin when everyone finally recognizes them. The warning signs usually appear earlier.
The same principle applies in military service, police work, leadership, and corporate America. Responsibilities shift. Communication changes. Employees become quiet. Decisions begin happening outside established processes. Individually, these events may mean little. Together, they may reveal a direction.
Reading the signs is not paranoia or assuming the worst. It is disciplined situational awareness:
• Observe what has changed.
• Consider what the changes mean together.
• Verify rather than assume.
• Anticipate what could happen next.
• Respond with wisdom rather than fear.
This principle fits directly into the TREE Method: Take Responsibility. Endure Everything.
Taking responsibility includes paying attention to reality—even when the signs are uncomfortable. Endurance means remaining grounded, observant, and prepared without allowing uncertainty to control your judgment.
The signs do not always tell us exactly what will happen. They tell us when it is time to pay closer attention.
#TheTREEMethod #Leadership #SituationalAwareness #ProfessionalDevelopment #PublicSafety #OrganizationalLeadership #ReadingTheSigns