404: On The Path, Doing the Right Things For The Right Reasons. With Navy SEAL Officer, Sean Glass
Sep 20, 2023
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Sean Glass, a former Navy SEAL officer and leadership instructor at Echelon Front, shares insights from his combat experience and mentoring future SEALs. He discusses the rigorous transformation from civilian life to Navy SEAL training, highlighting resilience, teamwork, and leadership under pressure. Glass details the intense camaraderie developed during Hell Week and the complexities of deploying SEALs in Afghanistan. He also reflects on his transition to civilian life, exploring leadership principles applicable in both military and business environments.
The concept of the path is about doing the right things for the right reasons, practicing discipline and long-term strategic thinking.
Delayed gratification and avoiding short-term thinking and instant gratification are crucial for staying on the path.
Taking care of others, being humble, and finding balance are essential aspects of being on the path.
The importance of hard work, discipline, and perseverance in reaching goals and achieving success.
Decentralized command and giving teams freedom to make decisions are crucial for effective leadership.
Training leaders in both military and civilian sectors is vital for personal and professional growth as well as team effectiveness.
Deep dives
The Path of Discipline and Long-Term Thinking
The podcast episode discusses the concept of the path, which is defined as doing the right things for the right reasons, practicing discipline and long-term strategic thinking. The speaker emphasizes the importance of delayed gratification and avoiding short-term thinking and instant gratification. Taking care of others, being humble, and finding balance are also highlighted as essential aspects of being on the path. The episode explores how staying on the path can lead to positive results over time.
Leadership Lessons and Experiences
The podcast features an interview with Sean Glass, a former SEAL officer and combat veteran. Sean shares his experiences and lessons learned about leadership and life. He talks about his background growing up in a small town in Texas, his parents' influence, and his journey to becoming a SEAL officer. Sean discusses the importance of hard work, discipline, and perseverance in reaching goals and achieving success.
The Journey to the SEAL Teams
The podcast episode follows the speaker's journey to becoming a SEAL. It delves into his decision to join the military and specifically pursue a career in the SEAL teams. The speaker talks about the challenges and setbacks he faced, including an injury and a long wait before being cleared for SEAL training. Despite the obstacles, the speaker's determination and dedication to his goal ultimately led to his selection for SEAL training.
Embedding in Afghan Villages and Clearing White Space
During the deployment, the speaker's platoon was tasked with embedding in Afghan villages and conducting village stability operations. The mission aimed to link different tribes and villages into a cohesive central government. The platoon cleared white space by removing enemy forces, built up local police forces, and connected villages to the central government. The speaker learned the importance of decentralized command and giving his team freedom to make decisions.
Lessons from Combat and Complacency
The speaker experienced combat engagements and understood the challenges and realities of fighting in Afghanistan. He learned that imposing American ideas and values on the local population was not effective. Instead, understanding the local culture and focusing on the mission's purpose resonated better with the populace. The speaker also experienced a complacency issue during the 11-month deployment, emphasizing the importance of remaining vigilant and avoiding complacency in potentially dangerous situations.
Challenges and Growth as a Leader
The speaker faced challenges as a leader during the deployment. He learned the value of giving his team members freedom and trust while maintaining high standards. The speaker's platoon commander and platoon chief mentored and supported him, allowing him to learn from mistakes. He also emphasized the need to adapt one's approach, as local populations might have different priorities and perspectives than initially assumed.
The Challenges and Opportunities of Training a New Platoon
The speaker discusses the challenges and opportunities that arise when training a platoon with a high number of new members. Despite initial frustrations, the speaker learns the importance of giving fire team leaders the chance to make decisions and learn from their mistakes.
The Intense and Complex Nature of Over-the-Beach Operations
The podcast explores the intensity and complexity of over-the-beach (OTB) operations. The speaker highlights the need for extensive practice, meticulous planning, and the potential for mishaps in OTB operations. They also mention the uniqueness of having the opportunity to participate in such operations.
The Micromanagement and Impact of Leadership in Operation Mosul
The podcast discusses the level of micromanagement and leadership influence in Operation Mosul. The speaker emphasizes the importance of leaders being actively present on the ground to understand the reality of the situation and make informed decisions. They also highlight the significance of embracing change, adapting tactics, and improving coordination with other military units.
Quality and Consistency of Beef from Virginia's Shenandoah Valley
Primal Beef offers beef raised in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, a region known for its lush green pastures and favorable microclimate. The cattle graze on nutritious grasses that grow abundantly in the area, resulting in high quality and tender meat. The advantages of this region include proximity to the Chesapeake watershed, which promotes growth, and the natural abundance of native grasses. The beef from Primal Beef is sourced from one farm, ensuring consistency in taste and quality for every order.
Addressing the Lack of Leadership Training in the Military and Civilian Sectors
The podcast episode discusses the importance of leadership training in both military and civilian sectors. It emphasizes the lack of leadership training for individuals who are promoted to leadership positions, such as platoon commanders, without receiving any formal training. This lack of training not only hinders personal and professional growth but also affects the overall effectiveness of teams and organizations. The episode highlights the role of echelon front in providing leadership training to help individuals become more effective leaders and create a positive impact on their teams and organizations.
Primal Beef: The Pursuit of Quality and Flavor
Primal Beef is all about providing Americans with farm-raised beef and giving customers the best possible experience. The beef is sourced from a unique farm in the Shenandoah Valley where the cattle graze on pastures that other cattle in America don't have access to. The finishing process for the cattle includes supplementing their grass diet with distillers grain and upcycled produce from local markets. This results in a unique flavor profile and rich beef flavor. The processing facility, Seven Hills Abattoir, focuses on maintaining the welfare of the animals and dry ages the entire carcass for a minimum of 14 days, which is not common in most processing plants.
The Impact of Primal Beef: Supporting Workers and the Community
Primal Beef not only focuses on providing high-quality beef, but also on making a positive impact. They partner with the C4 Foundation and donate a cut of beef for every box sold to special operations force members and their families. Additionally, Primal Beef supports American farmers and processing facilities like Seven Hills Abattoir. They also hire individuals from work release programs, giving them a second chance and providing valuable employment opportunities. By choosing Primal Beef, customers are not only enjoying farm-raised beef, but also making a difference in the lives of others.
Sean Glass is a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, combat leader, and now a leadership instructor with Echelon Front. Sean spent 13 years in the SEAL Teams with three combat deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Eastern Africa. He led five SEAL platoons in Iraq against Islamic State forces during some of the most dynamic and demanding environments where he saw first-hand the power of leadership on the battlefield. Sean returned from Iraq to serve as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams where he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders.
Sean left active duty in 2019 and became the Chief Operating Officer of a successful venture capital backed construction technology startup, where he helped scale the company’s growth and established a highly successful decentralized, team-first culture.
Sean then joined Echelon Front where he serves as a leadership instructor, bringing unique front-line perspective that blends tactical and executive leadership experience from the military and business environments to help build high performance, winning teams that thrive in ambiguous, adverse conditions.
