Episode 006 of Glorious Professionals focuses on community building. Blayne Smith joins Jason and Rich to have a conversation about cultivating, deepening and maintaining interdependent relationships - on the battlefield, in the office, and around your neighborhood. And perhaps online too. Maybe.

What is the difference between connections and community? What can be accomplished when it doesn’t matter who gets credit? What is the power of knowing your limits and asking for help? What is the tension between the individuality and service to the team? What are the roles of compassion, vulnerability, belonging, service and even shared hardships on team building and community? Through humor, stories and long experience with bringing people together into trusting relationships the guys ask as many if not more questions than they answer, acknowledging oftentimes expanding knowledge and building trust is in asking the right questions and truly listening to each other.

Blayne is a graduate of West Point and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, first as a lieutenant in the “big Army” and then as a Detachment Commander for 3rd Special Forces Group. He was the first employee and then Executive Director of Team RWB whose mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity. In addition to serving on the GORUCK board and leading events as Cadre, he founded Applied Leadership Partners to help provide strategy, leader development, and coaching services to organizations that are seeking to make a social impact.

Links:

Blayne Smith Bio - Applied Leadership Partners
Team RWB
Dunbar’s Number (of Relationships)
Learn more about GORUCK
Glorious Professionals podcast website

006 - Blayne Smith, Former Executive Director of Team RWB & Green Beret