Ego, Promotion, and the Cone of Silence

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As leaders rise, they often hear less and less truth. LTG (Ret.) Milford Beagle calls this the cone of silence—and he warns that it's one of the quietest ways leaders lose their true north.

In this episode, we explore how to lead when your "map" falls apart. General Beagle shares his journey from a stunned new platoon leader at Fort Polk to commanding the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center, and what he's learned about staying grounded, humble, and effective in uncertainty.

We dig into his new book, When the Map Runs Out: Values, Judgment, and Clarity in Uncertain Times, and talk about practical tools: a one-page "How to Handle Me" document, a journaling habit to process negative emotions, and how to invite real feedback without shutting people down.

If you're navigating change, promotion, or pressure to have all the answers, this conversation will help you lead with confidence and humility at the same time.

🔎 In This Episode, You'll Learn

• Why the higher you go, the more you're at risk of a cone of silence.

• How leaders lose true north—not from incompetence, but distortion.

• The difference between maps (plans, strategies, frameworks) and the compass (your values and judgment).

• Two key disciplines of leadership: bearing (self-awareness) and calibration (inviting others to check your bearing).

• How introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts can all be authentic leaders without pretending to be someone else.

• A practical tool: the "How to Handle Me" document that accelerates trust and clarifies expectations.

• How to create a culture where honest feedback is normal—especially for senior leaders.

• Why even three-star generals feel imposter syndrome, and how to work through it.

• How to provide clarity without certainty using "signposts on the road."

• Simple habits for resilience: journaling, reframing failure, and "always quit tomorrow."

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – The cone of silence: how leaders lose true north as they rise

01:56 – Cal's intro, the Intentional Leader Podcast, and LTG Beagle's background

03:15 – Fort Polk & the first platoon: "I felt like a leader… and not a very good one"

08:45 – From follower to leader: athletics, ROTC, and early moments when the map ran out

10:27 – Why When the Map Runs Out and the map/compass metaphor

12:36 – Frameworks, bearing, and calibration: why leaders need more than maps

16:54 – Authentic leadership for every personality type

22:57 – Designing a "How to Handle Me" one-pager for your team

26:27 – Examples: not liking details, humor, and getting quiet when processing

29:57 – Public speaking fear, reps & sets, and keeping the bar high

32:16 – Ego, promotion, and the cone of silence at senior levels

36:27 – Training your team to give you unvarnished feedback

40:24 – Feedback as the breakfast of champions (and why it stings)

42:09 – Imposter syndrome at the Combined Arms Center

46:01 – Clarity vs. certainty: the signpost town hall during organizational change

52:05 – True north and values: integrity, empathy, resilience, "quit tomorrow," loyalty

58:33 – The hurdles metaphor: falling, resilience, and running through obstacles

1:02:10 – Journaling to process emotion and see your own growth over time

1:07:17 – Time, priorities, and the cost of diluted focus

1:15:02 – Knowing your weaknesses and starting with them in interviews

1:16:15 – Where to find When the Map Runs Out and connect with LTG Beagle

1:17:53 – Cal's closing: four practical actions you can take this week

🧭 Practical Ways to Apply This Episode

1. Create your own "How to Handle Me" document

   • One page, honest, and specific: quirks, tendencies, what you're working on, and how people can best work with you.

2. Start (or restart) a journaling habit

   • For the next 7 days, write at least one sentence about how you're feeling and what you're facing.

3. Ask for one piece of real feedback

   • Pick one person you trust. Ask, "What's one thing I could do differently that would make me a better leader for you?" Then thank them.

4. Practice clarity in uncertainty

   • In one messy situation this week, clearly state:

     • What we know

     • What we don't know

     • What we're going to do next