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The Military Leader

by The Military Leader · English · News

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 podcas

New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 1 hr 1 min
Latest: 20 May 2025
Language: English

Latest episode

20 May 2025 · 44 min

Intentional Leadership, Podcasting, and Leaving a Legacy | Cal Walters

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 global leadership platform. You'll hear how a desire to grow (and a nudge from his wife) led to a podcast that’s now shaped over 125 conversations with leaders across the military, business, and academic worlds. We cover: ✅ Why self-leadership is the foundation of leading others ✅ How to start…

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Earlier episodes 22 most recent

S3 · E6 · 29 Apr 2025 · 56 min
Fighting Workplace Chaos and Leading Through Transitions | Juliet Funt
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 or not. First, they explore how modern work culture, endless taskers, and email overload are draining leaders' time, energy, and mission focus—and what we can do about it. Then they dive into leadership transitions: those pivotal moments when one leader steps out and another steps in. Juliet shares…
S3 · E5 · 17 Nov 2024 · 56 min
"Beyond Gut Instinct" - Data Literacy with Jon Bate, Erik Davis, and Brett Reichert
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 Office. We touch it more than any other system, and yet we have little to no instruction on how to maximize it. Even a few years ago, powerful data tools were exquisite, expensive, and unavailable for leaders at the tactical level. That's no longer the case. Leaders at every level have access to…
S3 · E4 · 25 Sep 2024 · 1 hr 17 min
Major General Brook Leonard - F-35s, space warfare, and being ready to fight tonight
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 Air Force, and in his last assignment, he led the standup of the US military's newest combatant command, US Space Command. It’s not often that you find a leader who can be both no nonsense and positive and reinforcing at the same time. But listen to the way Major General Leonard shares the stories…
S3 · E3 · 24 Aug 2024 · 47 min
Colonel Teddy Kleisner - Leading Through a No-Notice Deployment to Afghanistan
"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, Colonel Teddy Kleisner. Throughout his career, Teddy Kleisner has inspired formations of Soldiers with his relatable leadership style and his pragmatic, history-centered approach to professional development and tough training. In this episode, Teddy discusses the experiences and lessons that shaped…
S3 · E2 · 10 Mar 2024 · 1 hr 1 min
Colonel Bob O'Brien - Behind the Scenes at the Army's Command Assessment Program
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 Major must pass through to compete for command of the Army's battalions and brigades. Colonel O'Brien is an Infantry officer who has deployed multiple times and commanded at the O5 and O6 levels. He is a founding member of CAP, as well as an International Coaching Federation Certified Executive…
S3 · E1 · 7 Feb 2024 · 1 hr 7 min
MG Curt Taylor - Training for the Changing Character of War
"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 Commanding General of the National Training Center (NTC) and Fort Irwin, California. NTC is the Army's premier training center and one of the three installations solely dedicated to making the Army's units and leaders ready for the next fight. Episode Summary In this episode, we discuss: How NTC…
S2 · E6 · 22 Jun 2020 · 46 min
Major General JP McGee - The Present & Future of Army Talent Management
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 gives an inside look at the major personnel and talent initiatives coming to the US Army. Stay connected to talent.army.mil for the latest on Army Talent Management.
S2 · E7 · 25 Feb 2020 · 1 hr 5 min
Michael Bungay Stanier - Leading with Curiosity
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. In this conversation, he highlights how easy it is for leaders to jump straight into advice-giving and why this is a destructive habit to fall into. Michael encourages leaders to stay curious just a little bit longer and jump to advice-giving just a little more slowly. Books by Michael Bungay…
S2 · E6 · 30 Jan 2020 · 1 hr 24 min
Noble Gibbens – How to Lead with Emotional Intelligence
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 doctor, Noble Gibbens developed an insatiable love of learning partly because his parents bribed him with ice cream to take copious notes in church. Years later as an Infantry Lieutenant in the 82nd Airborne Division, he sought professional advice everywhere he could, including from senior leaders…
S2 · E3 · 9 Jan 2020 · 33 min
Colonel Greg Gadson - A Warrior Living Beyond the Wounds
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 Soldiers from a sister unit who lost their lives...and now Colonel Gadson's Soldiers were trying desperately to save his. Retired Colonel Greg Gadson played football at West Point before becoming a Field Artillery Officer in 1989. He saw every major conflict until that fateful day in 2007, when he lost…
S2 · E3 · 20 Dec 2019 · 1 hr 7 min
Captain Florent Groberg - Immigrant, Soldier, Medal of Honor Recipient
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 actions that day. In this extensive interview, Captain Groberg recounts the details of the fatal attack on his dismounted patrol in Asadabad, Afghanistan, then shares his lessons on life and leadership. You can watch his Medal of Honor ceremony here: https://youtu.be/wHoOZEfUwwI And be sure to grab a…
S2 · E1 · 12 Nov 2019 · 53 min
Major General Jeffrey Broadwater - Giver, Trainer, Leader
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 commander in 2007, I was fortunate to be attached to 3-7 Cavalry as then LTC Broadwater led the squadron in counterinsurgency operations in the Adamiyah area of Baghdad, Iraq. As a clear indicator of his leadership approach, MG Broadwater treated us like one of his own organic companies. He was…
S1 · E10 · 12 Sep 2018 · 1 hr 14 min
Dave Grossman - Killing, PTSD, and the Physiological Effects of Combat
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. Long after his active duty career, Dave has continued to teach the stress-response techniques outlined in his books, traveling to hundreds of bases, posts, and precincts over the years. In this episode, you discover what happens in the body during combat. Visual distortion, auditory exclusion, memory…
S1 · E11 · 8 Sep 2018 · 1 hr 14 min
LTC Matt Hardman - What It Takes to Be Ready
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 high standard for what it takes to make a unit ready for war and demands commitment. Still, he recognizes that it's not all about the mission. People matter. And in this conversation, you'll see that LTC Hardman genuinely cares about "the man behind the rank." I met Matt over VTC almost two years…
S1 · E9 · 20 Aug 2018 · 1 hr 9 min
CSM Scott Schroeder - Rediscovering the Role of the NCO
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. In this chat, CSM Schroeder shares the story from the beginning of his career, where he survived UCMJ then reenlisted to become an Infantryman. Through varying leadership positions at multiple echelons, CSM Schroeder grew into the iconic NCO leader that the Army is designed to grow. He is…
S1 · E7 · 24 Jul 2018 · 48 min
Colonel Eric Lopez - Creating a Vision Everyone Will Follow
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 really sense in this interview. Colonel Lopez just took command of the 3rd Recruiting Brigade and took a moment to share his thoughts on vision, leadership, and turning America's best citizens into Soldiers. Lead well! If you would like to show your support for The Military Leader Podcast, please…
S1 · E6 · 10 Jul 2018 · 1 hr 2 min
Brigadier General Marty Schweitzer - Mentorship is Everything!
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 first combat deployment, showed us how to aggressively pursue the enemy, and exemplified the direct, honest leadership that so many Soldiers and leaders admire. In this chat, BG Schweitzer shares the heart of the leadership approach that made him so successful and dishes out a ton of lessons for…
S1 · E5 · 2 Jul 2018 · 48 min
LTC Adisa King - Shut Up and Listen!
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 of his career. Adisa is a passionate leader who brings positive energy wherever he goes. He's the kind of leader every organization needs more of. If you would like to show your support for The Military Leader Podcast, please leave a rating and comment in iTunes. Thank you so much for the very kind…
S1 · E5 · 24 Jun 2018 · 51 min
Brigadier General Ross Coffman - Loving Soldiers is Making Them Ready for Combat
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 Soldiers is to train them for combat. As commander of 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, BG Coffman launched the Ready First Podcast to flatten the leader development across the brigade and give the leaders an entirely new medium through which to engage and grow. Then in 2016, he served as…
S1 · E4 · 18 Jun 2018 · 1 hr 2 min
Colonel Scott Shaw - Counseling, Connecting, and Balancing Family
The former commander of the Asymmetric Warfare Group, Colonel Scott Shaw, shares his lessons from over 20 years in the Infantry. We get into counseling, connecting with Soldiers, team-building, and how to be a successful Army leader while still giving your family your best. Colonel Shaw is also the author of the longest guest post on The Military Leader, a sizable summary of lessons he learned while commanding 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry at Fort Stewart, GA. Be sure to check out 2 Years of Lessons from Battalion Command after listening to this interview. Thanks for listening and enjoy! If…
S1 · E2 · 10 Jun 2018 · 1 hr 7 min
Steve Leonard - The Story of Doctrine Man & Leading with Perspective
If you are in the military and have Facebook, you know Doctrine Man! Steve Leonard, creator of Doctrine Man and former Army strategist, shares the story of how sharing a few snarky cartoons on work email grew into a social media platform nearing 200,000 followers. Steve goes on to offer a common sense perspective of leadership that is refreshing and pragmatic. After writing several of the Army's key doctrine manuals and retiring as a Colonel, Steve transitioned to become the first Director of the Business & Organizational Leadership graduate program at the University of Kansas. Steve is also…
S1 · E1 · 3 Jun 2018 · 1 hr
General Robert Brown - Authentic Leadership, Training for Combat, & Coach K
General Robert Brown kicks off The Military Leader Podcast in this candid interview covering the span of his 37 years in the Army. General Brown currently commands US Army Pacific Command, which is the Army's largest component command, standing at over 100,000 service members and civilians. Anyone who has ever worked for General Brown will tell you that he is one of the most passionate leaders they ever met. You'll really hear that in this chat, where we cover everything from combat leadership to General Brown's basketball days under Coach Mike Krzyzewski. You don't want to miss this one!…

About The Military Leader

The Military Leader is a English news podcast from The Military Leader. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: The Military Leader
Language: English
Category: News
New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 1 hr 1 min
Latest episode: 20 May 2025
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1390954299
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