Harnessing Military Discipline for Leadership Excellence and Team Empowerment

Ever wondered how to cultivate a culture that champions success while ensuring everyone on your team feels valued? Today, I'm thrilled to offer some behind-the-scenes access to the strategies that have not only shaped my leadership journey but have also been pivotal for countless business leaders and entrepreneurs across the globe. Together with my wife, we've channeled our military discipline into creating Global Core Strategies and Consulting, focusing on leadership as the linchpin of impactful change. This episode is a treasure trove of practical wisdom, from creating a winning culture to empowering individuals to be seen, heard, and respected.

Joining us on this adventure is Morgan, a former Navy pilot whose insights add a whole new altitude to our leadership discourse. He articulates his continued service to others through helping people excel in what matters most to them, a testament to the transformative power of good leadership. Get set for a conversation peppered with real-life anecdotes, strategies straight out of our military experience, and actionable advice that you can implement immediately. It's a deep dive into the world of leadership that promises to leave you with a richer toolkit the moment you hit pause.

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Just Make A Difference: Leading Under Pressure by Ron Harvey

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Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organization or entity. The information provided in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Listeners should consult with their own professional advisors before implementing any suggestions or recommendations made in this podcast. The speakers and guests are not responsible for any actions taken by listeners based on the information presented in this podcast. The podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or services. The speakers and guests make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in this ...

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to Unpacked Podcast with your host leadership consultant, ron Harvey of Global Core Strategies and Consulting. Ron's delighted to have you join us as he unpacks and shares his leadership experience, designed to help you in your leadership journey. Ron believes that leadership is the fundamental driver towards making a difference. So now to find out more of what it means to unpack leadership, here's your host, ron Harvey.

Speaker 2: 0:28

Good morning, well, good afternoon, depending on where you are around the world and what time you're listening to this. So it is Tuesday. This is Ron Harvey, the vice president. I'm the chief operating officer of Global Course Strategies and Consulting, which is a leadership firm that my wife and I have been running just over 10 years. Both of us are retired military, and we're super excited that we had to find another way to serve, and so we found our way to serve by building and developing a company around leadership.

Speaker 2: 0:53

Being a veteran of the armed forces, we know how important it is. Leadership really makes or breaks the military, and we wanted to find out another way to really serve our communities and entrepreneurs and business leaders across our globe of what are the things we've learned in our journey as leaders throughout the military that we've taken and packaged to help organizational leaders take better care of the people that are going to get the work done for them. So, when you see us, we always talk about how do you create a winning culture, how do you create an environment that people can be successful and be seen and be heard and respected. We do that every day, and we love it. What we do pause, though, is to do this podcast to share some of the secret sauce or some of the recipes and be super transparent about what we do, where we make mistakes, what we're learning, what are we hearing across the globe. What I love about this is we pull leaders from all over the globe, with all backgrounds, so I invite guests to talk about things that you may not even hear in the boardroom, that you may not hear at a conference, but we talk about real things and practical things that.

Speaker 2: 1:50

Take out your notepad, get ready to take notes. We absolutely will promise you we're gonna give you something that you can use like as soon as this podcast is over. So get ready, buckle up. And I'm so excited to have first another veteran from the Navy that's on here with us. So I love having veterans and I love everybody that comes on the show, but I'm biased. I love my veterans, so I'm happy to have another veteran that's coming on today, a Navy pilot, so I want to welcome him to the show. Morgan, welcome. Thank you for joining the show.

Speaker 3: 2:17

Ron, thank you so much for allowing me to be part of this conversation and also I'm going to offer gratitude for your show in general, because I am a listener and what I really appreciate about your show is that it blends the thoughtfulness of leadership development and leader development with the practical aspects really really well. And there are podcasts around leadership that I listened to that are very, very theoretical and I enjoy those, and there's some they that I listen to that are very, very theoretical and I enjoy those, and there's some that are like five steps to sharpen your sword. But in the middle, in the middle of that, is this really thoughtful place that also matters and makes impact. So, thank you for the podcast and, again, thank you for allowing me to be here with you today.

Speaker 2: 3:03

Yes, I'm honored. I'm honored Well, can you tell allowing me to be here with you today? Yes, I'm honored, I'm honored. Well, can you tell people that are watching and listening? I do want people to know who we are, because we add value and people want to reach you. Can you tell us a little bit what you want us to know about you, the business that you're running and things that are important to you? What would you share with us for people to get to know? Leaders always let people know who you are, and so I always ask our guests what do you want us to know?

Speaker 3: 3:22

Yeah, what I'd like you to know is much like you, I'm serving in a new way. In the military, we call it service, but I feel that I'm serving in a far more powerful way than I ever have before, and the way I serve is helping people be better at the things that matter most to them. And that might sound like a small thing, but when we're better, our teams are better, and when our teams are better, our businesses are better. So I'm very, very much focused on meeting people wherever they are in their own individual leadership journey, honoring them, understanding where it is that they would like to get better, and then helping them get better. And they're better. Their teams are better, their businesses are better. Everybody wins.

Speaker 2: 4:13

Yes, that's what I love about what we talk about on the show is our goal is to give you something that makes you better, and I think all of us can always have a place where we got somewhere where we can improve ourselves improve our conversation, improve our relationships, improve the work or recruit our writing or our reading or understanding. There's something that all of us, somewhere in our life we can do something better, and so today, our goal is to unpack something that will make you better. That's it, and if there's something else we can do for you, later, you'll have access to us. But our goal today is to give you one thing out of all the things that we're going to talk about unpack it enough that it will make you better. So I want to dive in a little bit. 23 years, you're a Navy pilot. You've had a phenomenal career. Look at your bio, went to your website, understanding what you're doing. Why was it so important for you to be able to find another way to be of service?

Speaker 3: 5:07

you to be able to find another way to be of service. So my last four years of active duty service in the Navy, I was assigned to the University of Colorado as the executive officer and the commanding officer of the Naval ROTC unit here and it's a dual-hatted role, which means not only was I directing a leadership development program for some really talented Navy and Marine Corps midshipmen, but I was also designated as a professor at the university teaching leadership. And coming into that I thought I had leadership figured out right. Generally I had been designated to be in charge of teams. Those teams met mission, exceeded mission. I was nice to people, I built relationships. I'm like, oh yeah, I've got this leadership thing figured out. And that time I remember my first semester teaching. It's like, oh okay, I don't know really anything about leadership and nor will I ever know everything there is to know about leadership. That's okay. But it made me really excited about my own personal leadership journey and it made me really excited about supporting other people in their own personal leadership journeys. So at the end of four years of teaching leadership at the university by the way, I still teach. You know, 12 years later, I still teach leadership at the University of Colorado, and.

Speaker 3: 6:27

But I came to the end of that active duty time, I retired from the Navy and I was very much at a crossroads. And when you're at the crossroads of military retirement, the question is do I want to go where everybody knows kind of like Cheers right when everybody knows my name, everybody knows who I am? Do I want to go and fly in the airlines like my squadron mates were? Do I want to go into defense contracting, consulting, where other squadron mates were, or do I want to go where nobody knows who I am? And I chose the start over path where nobody knows who I am, the start over path where nobody knows who I am. And I just felt this really for lack of a better term a nudge from the universe with this powerful calling to leadership development. And I didn't know what that meant. I didn't know what leadership, I didn't know what it was. So I, like branded myself as a leadership development specialist, sat back, waited for the job offers to roll in. Spoiler alert, they didn't roll in and then eventually I did get an offer from a Fortune 200 healthcare company. That changed my life and I was with them for over three years.

Speaker 3: 7:36

But it was the way they approached leadership development.

Speaker 3: 7:40

I was there as a leadership faculty member, a facilitator and eventually a coach within this corporate environment, but the way they approached it was very heart-centric, it was very emotionally forward and I reached this place in my life where I realized that for decades I had been personally negligent around my own emotional development, awareness and development and I've been negligent around my own spiritual awareness and development.

Speaker 3: 8:11

So if my time previously teaching at the university had been a very steep cognitive expansion, very steep cognitive growth around leadership, my time in corporate was a very steep emotional and spiritual journey, quite unexpectedly, and it did lead me to a place where I became trained as an integral coach and put me in a place where I could practice full-time in my independent business as an integral coach. And then it became very clear oh, that's where that nudge from the universe, that's where that calling was leading me, to this place where I can deeply support people in getting better in the way that matters most to them. That makes a real difference, like, makes a powerful difference, not only in their lives but in the relationships they create, in their productivity, in their focus, in their harmony, in their balance all these things that allows them to show up better in life, and that's real service for me.

Speaker 2: 9:17

Yeah, thank you for sharing the story. As we were prepping and coming on to the show. What do you do with someone that has a stellar career? As you know, team sends me all the information on our guests and people that are listening. You never stop learning. Where did that come from? Because you had to rebrand. You had to decide whether to go to this place where everybody knows your name, or this place where nobody knows. That sounds easier than it is. Unpack that for a second.

Speaker 3: 9:45

How difficult was it when you did everything right but you didn't get any calls. How did you manage? Yeah, not well, you know, in the sense that I recognized I was starting on a new journey. I understood that that was going to be hard, but I felt like I had so much to offer and I would say that I felt disrespected when that offer wasn't heard. I remember I had applied for a position and I didn't get the position. So I circled back and I said hey, I didn't get an interview. Am I just, you know, help me grow, help me be better, help me understand what I could have done better to maybe get an interview.

Speaker 3: 10:24

And the recruiter said well, this is a leadership development position and you are in the military where there is no leadership, so I don't know what to tell you. I'm like, oh, okay, well, now I understand what I'm up against here and I don't think that's a prevailing view at all. I don't think that most people believe. I think this is maybe a blind spot for one person and, by the way, to honor her perspective, I've had to grow a lot as a leader outside the military, right, the? You know my assumption, I think, coming out of the military was the leadership skills that I had would be sufficient for everything I encountered. Right, because in the military we do, as you and I understand encounter we have to be able to lean into ambiguity with some confidence and some skills, and that creates kind of a breadth of skillset. And I thought that that would be sufficient. But what I've learned since then is I continually have to evolve as a leader to make the impact that I want to make.

Speaker 3: 11:31

And when I headed into corporate, I did have some real deficiencies in my leadership that needed to be addressed, that continue to need to be addressed. Right, this journey isn't going to end right, and it's not, you know. You said a learning journey. Yeah, there's a learning journey, but there's also a growth journey, right, which is a distinction, and I try to be mindful of both those things. It ended up the way it was supposed to end up. So I think that's what I really learned coming out of that experience.

Speaker 3: 12:03

I was so frustrated frustrated when my services weren't valued or sought after and I felt so disrespected and that was very painful. That's about me. Nobody owes me anything, nobody owes me anything, right. And so you said, when you've done everything right, well, I hadn't done everything right. You know I hadn't, and I'm still not doing everything right, and that's still part of my evolution. And it still worked out the way it was supposed to. I still got the right job that furthered me as a leader, furthered my service, and so I think I'm able now this is like what, eight years later, I'm able to offer a lot more faith that these things work out the way that they're supposed to. And it's okay to be patient, it's okay to sit in the discomfort, you know. Just know that that's about me and that I'm part of something much bigger, and just try not to make it about me and just allow it to evolve the way it's going to.

Speaker 2: 13:09

Yeah Well, you gave so much to unpack, though, like where do I start? He's unpack there. I'm like where do I start? He's given so much data, like where do you unpack this? And you're being super transparent. It was uncomfortable. It was about me, you know. I felt disrespected and all those things come along with it. As a leader, there are going to be things that you are playing music, that you continue to evolve as a leader, because it's easy to feel like 20. No, think about it Pilot, 23 years, all kind of scenarios Like what are they going to tell me about leadership? And that can get in the way of what you're really trying to achieve. And so how do you unpack? Walking through the noise of you getting in your own way? And leaders I want you to listen to this because there's going to be noise how do you get out of your own way?

Speaker 3: 13:58

So there's a couple of levels that this happens on right there's one, there's a very superficial level, Like I recently hired a marketing consultant because the partnerships that I've long depended on from coaching companies weren't delivering in the way that I've long depended on from coaching companies, weren't delivering in the way that I wanted them to do. So I wanted to become more independent as a business owner and I realized that I don't have. You know, my military background and my coaching background don't necessarily make me a great marketer. So I hired a marketing consultant and she's excellent, but that's like a very like okay, I need to learn something.

Speaker 3: 14:34

And then, on the opposite end of the spectrum and this is where I actually do most of my work as a coach there are these embodied beliefs that we carry that historically serve us and then begin to limit us. So if I achieve enough, then I'll be enough. Yeah, you can see where that's really working out for somebody in their twenties and thirties, but by the time they hit their forties and fifties, like there's a real ceiling on that belief system and you know, for my personal one is if I experience enough, I will be complete. So it's always often these adventures having an exciting time, you know, finding the best burrito in the world and inviting all my buddies there. You know, just like, whatever it was, I just wanted to be on this adventure, but it was a distraction from something that was really important about myself. I'm getting a little. I'm getting a little maybe deep on the woo here, but this is what I would say here, but this is what I would say.

Speaker 3: 15:31

All of our behaviors are driven by a belief system and the coaching work I do is in that belief system, so that we can both illuminate it, so we can understand that belief system, create a relationship with it and then also transcend it with a new belief system, so that opens up the behaviors that aren't really accessible to us right now. So that's on one end of the scale. The evolution is really in a very kind of deep embodied place that we can't necessarily see, and that's the value of coaching is to help somebody not only see it, but to also have the skill to overcome it. You know, really kind of in a way that's very respectful and compassionate to the individual who's on that growth journey, so that they can do the new things in their life that they want to do and create the impact they want to make. And then the other thing is, you know, there's the spectrum and sometimes we just have to hire that marketing consultant, read that book, take that online course to also build some very kind of cognitive skills.

Speaker 3: 16:42

I don't even remember what we're unpacking, Ron. What was the question?

Speaker 2: 16:46

The things that you realize when you have to make the adjustments. What are some things that you do to continue to get yourself together or not get in your own way? So oftentimes there are people that are around us that want to help us. There are people that are around that are cheerleading, but sometimes we're getting in our way and, as leaders, sometimes it can be my mindset, it could be my behaviors, it could be my lack of it could be I think I got all the answers. Are I supposed to have all the answers? I mean, there are things, as leaders, as you get groomed, depending on your circles or your board of advisors is what I call it. What is the story you're telling yourself that actually may be prohibiting you from being authentic and being the best version of yourself, and you spend a lot of time on helping people become their best version of themselves. How do you get out?

Speaker 3: 17:28

of your way when you're the world block. Yeah, so we're asking not this specifically about me, but the general you yeah, just the general, you yes.

Speaker 3: 17:35

Yeah. So I hire coaches right, Because I personally see the power of coaching, because I am a coach and I realized that many times we can't do this by ourself. The transformation that I want to make to be better requires help. So I'd say, like number one, invest in yourself, ask for help and if you feel ready, if you feel ready to grow, if you're feeling stuck right now, if the same thing that you've always done isn't working anymore, then get unstuck. And there are professionals that can help you get unstuck. So that would be one thing. Would you rather have the vacation to the Florida Keys or would you rather have a new way of being that opens up this world of possibility for you? It's a fair question and that's a tough answer. But if you're getting to the point where the answer is, man, I feel so stuck. I'd rather just forego that vacation and spend the money on myself so I can be better and feel unstuck and do the things that I have the freedom of choice to do the things I want to do. Then invest in yourself. That's number one. Find a good coach who can help you overcome that thing that's getting in your way.

Speaker 3: 18:52

Now I find that in that first hour and a half conversation with the client, most people will uncover the thing that's getting in their way. Yes, your business owners out there that are thinking about investing in their talent, or the HR professionals out there that are thinking about investing in their talent is your talent, your teammates, the people on your team. They actually know better than you do what's getting in their way. And so I get that if you're a business and you're investing in somebody, you are making a business decision and you have a business outcome in mind and I honor that and I appreciate that. As a business owner, I'm doing my best to be the best business I can be as well.

Speaker 3: 19:51

But there's a bit of a paradox there, Ron. When we invest in a member of our team, we want a say in that coaching program. But the coaching program will be better if you allow the coach to be an advocate for the person being coached and get out of the way. This goes back years for me. I remember one of my very, very first client years ago in the business said we want you to coach this guy. He's got anger issues, so we want you to coach him on anger management and like okay, my request is that you allow me to ask him what he would like to work on. We will hold that confidentially, but here's my promise to you I will call a timeout and let you know if I think what this individual wants to work on is misaligned with what you want.

Speaker 2: 20:46

Yes.

Speaker 3: 20:47

Okay, but otherwise, just trust me, trust him, trust the process, and by staying out of the way, I can all but guarantee you you will get a better return on your coaching investment. So I asked the individual what feels important to you and after that first hour and a half conversation, what he came up with is I would like to better be able to inspire commitment instead of drive compliance. Yes, well, that's a much deeper, more powerful, more impactive topic that's going to have far more reaching implications to the individual and their business, because, remember, when we're better, our team's better, our business is better. It's going to be a better return for him, his team and his business. The coaching topic that he selected, rather than we're going to work on anger management and over the years, I would say, now, this is speculative, this hasn't actually happened. But let's say, a business came and said look, this individual, this individual really struggles with getting projects across the finish line Energetic at the start, poor to finish. We want you to coach.

Speaker 3: 22:05

And I'll say, okay, let me ask them. Let me ask them what feels most important and let's say, and again, this is hypothetical, speculative, this has never important. And let's say, and again, this is hypothetical, speculative. This has never happened. But let's say, the individual being coached said I would like to work on weight loss. I'm like, okay, let's explore that. Like what's going on? Like why is that important? I bet that if we focused on weight loss and whatever the barrier was to weight loss would be the exact same barrier, believe it or not, that's getting in the way of getting those projects across the finish line. I'll bet you that's true, it hasn't happened quite that way before, but I'll bet that even a topic like weight loss is the thing that would most benefit the business.

Speaker 2: 22:53

Yeah, I think you're right too. When you think about it, there are a lot of things that are pretty common, regardless of what the scenario may be, because human beings are human beings and if you can really create the space for them to be vulnerable and transparent and get help without judgment, you can help people become the best version of themselves. So I want to. I want to unpack something that that's important for the people that are listening to the show today and, in the career path that you've taken, what has been the biggest thing that you have noticed about what leaders need to bring to the table to be effective? Today, leadership has changed. There are multiple generations. Covid has a lot of people working from home. The world is different. What do you think for us to be effective as leaders? What are some traits that you absolutely are pretty, pretty sound on that we got to bring to the table as leaders today are pretty sound on that we got to bring to the table as leaders today.

Speaker 3: 23:41

Yeah, I would offer two. The first one is the one that's always been, which is, of course, relationships. Yes, all right, that's always been. The research shows us that at an entry level position, our role is 90% technical tactical and 10% relationship. But by the time we get to a senior director position, it's 90% relationship and 10% technical tactical. And so if you think about that journey, then we really should be touching on leadership every step of the way in that journey to get to that 90% where people are ready to be effective by the time they become a senior director. Because that is the journey is the willingness to invest in authentic, quality, committed relationships that honor the other people in the relationships. And so, of course, relationships right Quality and quantity of relationships is critical for our growth as a leader, and that's always been. But there's a new thing that's emerging, I think, in a sense, if I look at all of my clients, they are my clients because context has changed.

Speaker 2: 25:00

Wow, unpack that for a second.

Speaker 3: 25:03

Yeah, so by that I mean earlier I said, the thing that used to work isn't working anymore. It's pretty common with most of the people I coach. Something used to work, like I used to be the you know if I'm the hardest working person in the world like, well, good for you, but the scale and scope of your role is such that you it's not going to work anymore. Right, it's just not going to work anymore. You're going to have to find a new approach to work. So when I say the context has changed, it can mean anything. Maybe your personal context has changed. Maybe you have a family now and you're actually unwilling to travel five times a month. Maybe your personal context has changed in that you're on that growth trajectory that we talked about earlier, towards that senior director, vp, senior VP position. That requires more relationship investment, which requires skills. Maybe the way that you showed up as an individual contributor or a small team leader isn't really compatible with building strategic relationships that you need to succeed. So those are kind of some traditional ways that context has changed.

Speaker 3: 26:24

But I've been focusing a lot on tech executives and tech startups, and I really like that space because that's where the context changes the fastest. The technology changes quickly. Yes, the in in startups. You go from this like trusting team of four people. Suddenly you have 50 people, 100 people, you know, and the thing that was working when there was four people yes, I guarantee you it's not going to work with 50 people, and most of those executives that I work with are still trying to manage 100 people the same way that they manage their four-person team and the excitement of the rapid you know, rocket ship rise of this startup and now they're about to go public.

Speaker 3: 27:07

It's a different context, yes, and it happens so quickly in tech. So I think that's something that's really different now is that when the context changes, if we don't evolve as leaders, we're going to get left behind. Yes, and that's always been true, but the context is changing faster now. So what's the most important thing for leaders? Willing to invest more in your leadership, growth and development than ever before to keep up with that changing context. You didn't have to change that much before. You've got to change a lot more, a lot faster now, and you'll be better off if you get out in front of it. Invest in your leadership development sooner so that you can match that changing context over time.

Speaker 2: 27:56

I totally love that you're talking about investing in yourself. You talk about it a couple of times and I think we invest in a lot of things, but one of the things that most leaders that you're coming up don't realize how important it is to make that major investment for yourself long term. I mean, I think we bet on a lot of people, often more than we bet on ourselves, and so being able to invest in yourself, bet on yourself, takes a risk, and you mentioned how fast it's changing. We used to have maybe a year or two for us to learn something new, and now that time has shrunk to, you got six months or 90 days before. Like the whole workforce is changing. Is it fair to say that most leaders have had to retool themselves in the last three years? Because of technology, because of changes, because of the world, because of globalization, because of so many variables, most leaders have had to retool themselves in some way shape, fashion or form.

Speaker 3: 28:45

The successful ones, yeah, so again, I talked about the spectrum of growth and learning and evolution, and there is a distinction, of course, between leadership and management. We still have to keep growing as managers in that technical, tactical, cognitive, headspace way, but I think what's changing that you're touching on, ron is enhancing our capacity for change also. I think that's the important place to grow. There's a researcher, coach, researcher. I really like Amanda Blake.

Speaker 3: 29:22

I don't know if you know Amanda Blake at all. She wrote a book called your Body is your Brain and then she did something quite remarkable. She went back and got her PhD and she challenged everything that she wrote in the book. Right, because it was from more of an anecdotal, observational. And then the brave thing is to say say, oh, let's apply some research to this. You know what am I going to find?

Speaker 3: 29:44

But one of the important things that she found was this idea of embodied self-awareness, our connection with our somatic selves or physical selves, selves or physical selves, and being aware of the physical sensations and the emotional sensations that reside and rise and surface throughout the day. So just, embodied self-awareness is the term that she uses, our embodied self-awareness as that grows. What it does is it unlocks our capacity for interpersonal and intrapersonal growth. So, as we think about growth now, as I think about growth now, as I think about supporting my clients and what it is that's most important to them, I'm also and what it is that's most important to them, I'm also supporting them in unlocking the capacity to grow also. So it's not just this linear growth, but unlocking something that allows their growth to become exponential so that they can keep up with that change, as it goes faster and faster. More than ever before, I think we have to engage our emotional and somatic selves to be able to adjust in a timely manner in it because it's coming.

Speaker 2: 31:21

As you're listening to this show, whether you agree the change is coming or not is irrelevant. Whether you adjust to it is what's going to be important. Yeah, and I think sometimes we get caught up in what we agree or disagree with and things are still moving around us and because we disagree don't mean it stops, yeah, and so it's so important to understand that for us and we look at, the military has changed since you and I have been out. I literally, literally can tell you I knew when it was time for me to retire, it was changing at a pace that was faster than I was comfortable and changing in some ways that I thought was like absolutely insane, because it's not what I grew up with. And I was like you know what it's changing and it's changing and not for bad. It's changing. That's making it so difficult, because it's so different that it's time for me to move out of the way and let someone else do this. That's evolution.

Speaker 3: 32:03

The day I realized that the United States Navy was able to continue without me was a hard day for me. It's not only continued without me, but it thrives. Can we agree that some of that change that maybe felt uncomfortable for us because I agree with you on that and that we're resistant to, has also made the force stronger?

Speaker 3: 32:24

Is the force stronger than it's ever been today, right now, in this moment, probably not, and it's easy to kind of sit back and say, well my day, but it doesn't matter, it's better. It's moved on, it's evolved, and there's kind of an admission there that I hear from you and maybe from me, that we weren't able to keep up with that pace. Yes, have done. We would have hopefully embraced the change and then created the change that we needed ourselves to adjust and create a capacity to embrace change.

Speaker 2: 33:11

Yes, and I think that's what will put a pin in it for us Phenomenal conversation Time flies when you're having fun and for our audience, what I want to say is embracing the change. And what changes do you need to make? In turning to leaders, as Walt is sharing like, start with you If you're really going to be good. What changes? Because you got to set the example. And if you're the leader and you won't change, you can't expect anyone that's watching you to change. It starts with us and we can't be kicking, fighting, screaming, because we may agree with 90% but the 10% we disagree with. We're holding on to that 10%. I hear you, but what is it required of you as a leader?

Speaker 2: 33:49

So, Walt, as we close out, for our people that are listening to us and these are all questions that just come up as I listen to you talk which is success in business, success as a Navy officer, you know, I can only imagine the things you have to do to be really effective as a pilot. What do you think going forward are two to three things that every leader, other than embracing change, will have to do, because the world is changing so fast Technology, communication, globalization, diversity and inclusion, and the list goes on and on and on. What do we got to be prepared for as leaders for the future? Yep.

Speaker 3: 34:22

I think number one invest in their team and make more leaders on their team. Right, and that's universal right, that's always been, but it's more important now. Right, being able to lead to execute strategy in ambiguity is harder now than it's ever been. You can't do that on your own. You must invest in the development of your people to create the capacity for them, and I would recommend hiring for that also. You know this is my quick plug for hiring vets there are a few people out there that have more relevant experience than leading through ambiguity than vets, and that's veterans. Military veterans are not a monolithic thing, right. They are each unique to themselves and they have different service backgrounds and different careers in the service and different ranks and roles, and some of us were there for too long. Some of us were there just right.

Speaker 3: 35:25

You know there's a lot of variables, but hire for people who can lead through ambiguity and invest and empower them to lead through ambiguity is kind of the biggest thing that comes to mind right now. And then you already said embrace the change. But we have to reference it again, like I went to a tech conversation here in Boulder maybe a week or two ago and the co-CEO of Rule 4, really, really smart guy, said look, you had a life before the internet and after the internet and you kind of remember the line of that change and you had a life before the internet and after the internet and you kind of remember the line that changed and you had a life before the smartphone and after the smartphone. You kind of remember when that line was and when it changed. He says this is the line this year for generative AI.

Speaker 3: 36:10

Coming out of 2024 isn't the same as going into 2024.

Speaker 3: 36:16

Just because I've branded myself as an AI-free coach, I don't use AI to write posts or correspondence or as a creative partner in the programs I create, because I'm very focused on the human side of things.

Speaker 3: 36:31

That doesn't mean that I don't embrace the role of AI in our businesses and society and culture and believe that we're ill-prepared for the economic impact and social impact of AI.

Speaker 3: 36:44

I'm just focused on the human side of it, but let's just acknowledge that, agree or disagree, that change is accelerating and just being able to breathe and to be human in that change. And then I would say the third thing is to also honor wherever you are in your leadership journey and be really intentional about also growing in your leadership journey and accept that you never get there. I like to say, in my dying breath, if I have awareness in my dying breath, what I hope to be able to do is look back on the journey that I've completed with all of the summits along the way and be able to honor that journey, but also look ahead to the summit that I didn't climb, yes, and be, okay, at peace with that too. Right, yes, the journey doesn't end. I just invite everybody to be intentional in their growth as a leader so that they can make the impact that they would like to make in their life and their business and their relationships and the people that they care about with their life.

Speaker 2: 37:50

Yes, be intentional. It's super important. Be intentional so you can get the results that you want to get, want to get. So, as we close out, walt, if someone wants to reach out to you, what's the most effective way for them to reach out? You know, whether it's to invite you on a podcast, whether it's to leverage your services as a coach and the work that you and your organization are doing how do people find you?

Speaker 3: 38:07

Yeah, no, thank you for asking that. Anybody's welcome to reach out just via email. Reach out to Walt W-A-L-T at TLiftCoachingcom the letter T-L-I-F-T. Coachingcom. Or if you're still curious about me, you can go check out my website, tliftcoachingcom. There's a contact form there as well. But even if you would just like to have a conversation around leadership, I'm happy to do that. If you'd like to explore coaching with me, I am happy to explore that with you. I have a great network of coaches. Also, if it doesn't feel like a good fit, I'm always happy to make referrals to other coaches. But I feel really confident in my ability to serve anybody in their leadership journey, wherever they are, tailor a program for them and help them achieve transformational growth and success.

Speaker 2: 39:00

Yes, thanks, walt, phenomenal, as I tell you. We bring people from everywhere, all walks of life, all industries, and it's been a pleasure to listen to a Navy vet that's flown, that's served our country for so many years bring his expertise. So it's been phenomenal to listen to your perspective and sharing and for dropping the knowledge for people to listen to, to your perspective and sharing, and for dropping the knowledge for people to listen to. Again. This is Ron Harvey, vice President and the Chief Operating Officer of Global Core Strategies and Consulting. You can always find us on LinkedIn or you can go to our website and pull us up, and there's a contact form If you just want to have questions, if you just want to have a conversation.

Speaker 2: 39:33

We want to be able to make an impact. Our entire organization does two things Add value, makes a difference. That's what we're here for. Hopefully, today we've made a difference, we've added value, and we hope to see you again on another podcast where we bring guests from around the world, all backgrounds, all industries, to share with you what they've learned over the course of their careers and their exposure and experience. Thank you for joining us, we appreciate it and we hope that you join us again on Unpacked with Ron Harvey.

Speaker 1: 39:58

Well, we hope you enjoyed this edition of Unpacked Podcast with leadership consultant Ron Harvey. Remember to join us every Monday as Ron unpacks sound advice, providing real answers for real leadership challenges. Until next time, remember to add value and make a difference where you are, for the people you serve, because people always matter.