In this episode of The Military Leader Podcast, I sit down with Cal Walters—Army Ranger, JAG officer, professor of leadership, and host of The Intentional Leader Podcast, ranked in the top 1.5% of shows worldwide.
We dive into Cal's journey from long commutes and solo reflection to launching a globa…
The Military Leader
by The Military Leader
Welcome to The Military Leader Podcast—where I share candid, practical lessons to help you grow as a leader and develop your team. I’m a 25-year Army officer, certified coach, and TEDx speaker, and I’ve spent my career leading in high-stakes environments. The Military Leader blog, book, and podcast deliver real-world insights to sharpen your leadership skills. Whether you're in uniform or leading in another profession, you’ll gain actionable strategies to lead with confidence. If you don’t have a structured development program, start here!
Latest Episodes
Leadership transitions can either build momentum—or break an organization. Juliet Funt shares how to get it right.
In this episode, Drew Steadman talks with bestselling author and organizational strategist Juliet Funt about two leadership challenges leaders everywhere face—whether they realize it o…
Twenty years ago, you could get away with saying you're "just not a computer person." Leaders, even senior commanders, took pride in resisting the digital movement in the military and avoided any attempt to learn it or leverage it.
Today, the military's most prolific weapon system is Microsoft Offic…
Major General Leonard graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1992 and went on to become an F-16 and F-35 command pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours, to include 576 combat hours.
In his 31 year career, he commanded multiple fighter wings, served as a military assistant to the Secretary of the …
"I was sitting on an aircraft with some of the finest Americans we've ever put in uniform, with enormous confidence in knowing that when this ramp drops, this group right here will figure it out."
I'm honored to share my conversation with fellow "Tomahawk" commander and respected Infantry leader, Co…
In this episode, we go behind the scenes to see how the Army selects its senior commanders and shapes talent for the future.
Colonel Bob O'Brien is the Director of the US Army's Command Assessment Program (CAP), which is the yearly selection crucible that Lieutenant Colonels, Colonels, and Sergeants…
"If you bring a cell phone to NTC, you'll be found and targeted."
In this episode, we get an inside look at how the Army's National Training Center creates tough, realistic training rotations to ensure that Soldiers and units are ready to win the first fight.
Guest
Major General Curt Taylor is the C…
The Army is radically changing its personnel and talent management systems and Major General JP McGee, head of the Army Talent Management Task Force, is in charge of making it happen.
From AIM 2.0 and the Battalion Command Assessment Program...to brevet promotions and direct commissioning, MG McGee …
Michael Bungay Stanier is an author, speaker, and innovative thinker in the world of coaching and leadership. His most popular book, The Coaching Habit, is a Wall Street Journal Bestseller and presents a powerful framework for helping leaders make meaningful connections by becoming more coachlike.
…
This episode features passionate world changer and good friend of nearly twenty years, Noble Gibbens. Noble is a West Point graduate, successful entrepreneur, speaker, personal mentor, and business coach who learns, lives, and breathes leader development.
As the energetic son of an emergency room do…
In May 2007, Colonel Greg Gadson found himself face-up on a Baghdad street, having been blown out of his vehicle by a powerful roadside bomb. He was bleeding profusely from both legs, which he eventually lost. As a battalion commander, that day he was returning from a memorial service for two Soldie…
In August of 2012, Army Captain (Ret) Florent Groberg found himself face to face with an enemy suicide bomber. He didn't have time to think, he simply moved towards the threat. Then in 2015, he found himself standing on a stage with President Barack Obama, receiving the Medal of Honor for his action…
Before he departed Fort Irwin to become the current Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division, Major General Jeffrey Broadwater and I sat down in his office to chat about leadership, combat, the National Training Center, and how to personally manage the highs and lows of command.
As a company …
Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and renown author Dave Grossman essentially created the field of killology. His books On Killing and On Combat have made an entire generation of military, law enforcement, and first responders more ready for the stressful, sometimes violent situations they face. Lon…
You'd be hard-pressed to find a leader who is more dedicated to the profession of arms than LTC Matt Hardman. His recent experience as Battalion Task Force and then Brigade Trainer at the National Training Center has made him one of the most tactically competent leaders in our Army today. He has a h…
People who have worked with CSM Schroeder know he is a Soldier’s Soldier. His 34 years in the Army spanned from his Germany days as an Electronics Mechanic to Command Sergeant Major of US Army Forces Command, a 4-star level command of over 750,000 Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve Component Soldiers. …
Every once in a while in your career, you'll work for a leader whose nature simply inspires motivation and action. Colonel Eric Lopez is one of those leaders. He is passionate, candid, and committed to building the team. You can't help but get fired up when you listen to him speak, which you'll real…
Of the many talented mentors I've had throughout my career, BG Marty Schweitzer has had the most formative influence in shaping the leader I am today. As my battalion commander in the 82nd Airborne Division, "Coach" personally invested in our development and taught us how to fight. He took us to our…
Army Lieutenant Colonel Adisa King joins The Military Leader Podcast for a conversation about the leadership lessons he took from West Point football, how he fires up his Squadron formation at 1-32 Cavalry at Fort Campbell, KY, and the most important lessons he's taken from mentors over the course o…
Brigadier General Ross Coffman, Deputy Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division, joins The Military Leader Podcast to discuss the state of Army leaders after 16 years of war, how the National Training Center stretches brigade combat teams toward readiness, and why the best way to take care of…