Send us a textThe CEO of LEADx and author of Great Leaders Have No Rules, Kevin Kruse discusses contrarian leadership principles that many leaders overlook.  Kevin and Joe talk about the downsides of having an open door policy, the problem with leaders wanting to be liked,  and the pitfalls of leaders valuing being bullet proof over being vulnerable. They also discuss why standards are more important for rules and other ideas leaders can incorporate to build a strong culture in their organizations. 

Send us a textProfessor Nancy Sherman has spent decades working with military leaders on ethics, PTSD, moral injury, and suicide prevention. In this episode, she explains how an ancient philosophy can help service members and first responders work through traumatic experiences. She also discusses why community is so important for developing resiliency and grit, and finally, why we all should try a little bit harder developing our empathy for others.   

Send us a textJoe sits down with Sebastian Junger to discuss his latest book, Freedom, and examine what this word means in modern society. In discussing the book, Junger recounts his 400-mile journey along east coast railroad lines while dodging police officers, sleeping under bridges, and walking through tough neighborhoods. They also talk about why combat deployments are such a powerful force in the lives of those who’ve experienced them. Finally, Junger shares leadership lessons he observed when embedded with the Northern Alliance before 9/11 and U.S Military units after 9/11.

Send us a textDr. Micah Zenko, author of Red Team: How to Succeed By Thinking Like the Enemy, explains why red teaming is an important practice for any organization. Joe and Micah discuss organizational blindspots, the best practices for finding them, and how red teamers can provide constructive feedback. Additionally, Micah shares techniques for leaders to become better critical thinkers.  

Send us a textRetired Army Lieutenant General and former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster explains why military leaders need to study the past to gain clarity in the present and also shares a career worth of lessons to include why the Battle of 73 Easting taught him about the importance of tough, realistic training. Finally, he spends a few minutes talking about the mindset he adopted before he stepped into the role of the National Security Advisor and how he dealt with the stressors that came along with that position. 

Send us a textRecently retired naval aviator Jack “Farva” Curtis shares his thoughts on the importance of culture and why diversity of thought is needed to create winning teams. Additionally, he discusses the benefits of flattening organizations and reflects on why leaders should study ideas outside their area of expertise. Jack's written several widely read articles over the years to include "The Map on the Wall," "Let's Talk about the Burden of Command," and "Winning Cultures Worlds Apart."

Send us a textJoe sits down with 2x Super Bowl Champion and former NFL place kicker Lawrence Tynes to discuss the lessons he learned over the course of his NFL career. Tynes emphasizes the importance of preparation when being called upon to perform in high pressure situations. He explains why a team's culture is more important than the talent in the locker room. Lawrence also passes along the wisdom he learned from coaches and players to include Tom Coughlin and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan. 

Send us a textGeneral Miller talks about the lessons he's learned over the past 38 years of service. He discusses crucible moments that shaped him, including a firefight in Mogadishu in October 1993 where he served as the assault force commander. He also shares how these crucible moments have influenced him as the current commander of forces in Afghanistan and for his latest undertaking, preparing to fully withdraw US and Coalition Forces from Afghanistan after an almost two-decade long campaign. Finally, General Miller discusses the important role reading and fitness have played in making him a better leader. 

Send us a textThe team sits down with Donald Robertson, author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius. Robertson explains the origins of the philosophy,  why Stoicism has survived for the last 2300 years, and it's useful for leaders today. 

Send us a textThe team sits down with P.W. Singer to discuss his latest book, Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution. He dives into some of the technologies from the book, the difference between useful fiction and science fiction, and why he says useful fiction is like a smoothie packed full of intellectual vitamins.