This “gray” zone is an environment between black and white, where nothing is for certain and nearly everything is interwoven with each other and hence pretty complicated. There is no one right answer. Much like in war, or in business. Special Operators need to be comfortable with this uncertainty, as well as entrepreneurs and leaders of businesses.

Whatever the outcome the person has achieved, appreciation and gratitude is best exemplified when demonstrating the impact of their actions. It also provides positive feedback to the recipient, to better understand what your expectations are for future success!

My 15 year West Point reunion is coming up in two weeks! And as I was reconnecting with some old classmates, a story came up of our “early years.”

It’s hardly a secret that LinkedIn is the most popular platform for job-seekers and talent-seekers in the market. There are over 570 million users, with just under half being active users of the platform. (For context, the US Census Bureau reports that there are around 330 million people living in the US today.)

To all my “Ranger buddies” in the past, present and future — thank you! You have made this “suck” bearable and even memorable. You have been my inspiration to put one foot in front of the other. I’ve been blessed with my network of friends, family, and mentors to help guide me, and I am deeply indebted to your kindness and care.

Let’s continue to crush our future “sucks” together!

When I got out of the Army in late 2013, I thought I could conquer the world.

I had spent just under 14 years in military service (to include 4 years at West Point, 24 months in Afghanistan, and over 30 months of really hard military schools), and I believed I could do anything and be successful.

So when the CEO of my holding company asked if I wanted to run a small manufacturing subsidiary in Indiana, not even a year after my separation from the Army, I graciously accepted. I fully intended to do a really great job there and start my civilian professional career with a bang!

Ever feel like you’re always fighting everyone else? Each time you offer your thoughts on that new project. Or when you make a suggestion of a new idea. Does it seem like everyone is acting against you?

It could be the environment -- you could be in an organization that is absolutely resistant to change. They’ve fallen in love with how they’ve done things and resist anything other than the status quo.

Or it can be you. You can appear to be a ‘know-it-all’ or have no idea what you’re talking about, so people avoid your suggestions. Or you can just be not liked because you appear to be unpleasant in your interactions.

Last month, I was “stuck” on my island. And by my island, I mean the world that is 6 inches between my ears.

Ever since I was a young Army officer, I had the tendency to be a recluse when faced with complex, tough problems. I don’t know if it was a ‘me’ thing or a learned behavior from the military, but this is somewhat aligned with the concept of the “burden of command.”

As a leader, the success or failure of your organization is strictly dependent on you -- this your burden as the leader. There is no one else to share in this responsibility. The outcome is dependent on your ability to lead.

How many of us struggled with this in our careers? Whether in the military or civilian lives, our role as leaders is to influence our team to row in the same direction to achieve common goals -- and that’s only built through trust.

You’ve seen the action movies, read the books, and listened to the podcasts. Yes, today’s Veterans have accomplished quite a bit. From Special Operators to fearless convoy commanders, fighter pilots to submariners, everyone has an intense story that can inspire courage or render solemn silence.

They’ve walked the walk and talked the talk… we get it. But why doesn’t that translate well in the business world, especially when you’re looking for your next job? (And it’s happened to me quite often!)

A wise saying goes, “a leader without followers is just a man [or woman] taking a walk.” Leadership at its core, is the ability to influence. Said another way, Leadership is doing something to get others to follow, by choice.

Suicide is an epidemic. We’ve seen record numbers in the past decade and particularly in the past year. Check out these articles from the Army Times and Military.com. Yet, unfortunately, I really didn’t pay attention to any of it before Bobby.

I’ve had friends and fellow soldiers fall victim to these tragedies, but I felt that this was too large of a problem and was outside of my control. It was tragic to hear of these stories, but these were troubled people who needed professional assistance… right?

So this is your final mission: I challenge you with outreach. Go call a long-lost friend, a fellow Veteran, or someone in need. Be there for them, lend them your ear, and be your brother’s or sister’s keeper. Perhaps you can also help connect them to professional services if needed.

When I was transitioning out of the Army in late 2013, I was lucky enough to be offered a role in the APi Group’s Leadership Development Program (LDP); this program kick-started my career into the private sector. APi Group is a construction holding company that focuses in the energy, life safety, infrastructure, and specialty construction sectors all over the country. The company is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN and has a unique mantra and strategy for success – it focuses on Building Great Leaders™. As primarily a growth through acquisition company, the year-long LDP is APi Group’s solution to feed its acquired companies with proven leaders, many with backgrounds from the US military.

“In the survey, many employers said veterans are perceived as heroes and not necessarily as assets to the company ― a part of the study that jumped out to Lynch. She said veteran experiences are sometimes idealized and put on a pedestal. That makes it hard for veterans to be perceived normally…”

Though on the exterior, Veterans seem stoic and emotionless, stemming from a culture where rank or authority dictates execution, internally we are just as influenced by relationships and EQ. Our love for our fellow brothers-and-sisters-in-arms goes deeper than just emotions – it’s a respect and devotion that enables us to be capable of sacrificing ourselves for one another. Veterans have fought in the trenches together, and hence, have formed deep bonds with our teams that are sometimes more unbreakable than the mission on hand.

And this all starts with how we feel about one another and how how intelligent we are to one’s emotions.

Whether by choice or retirement is not important, but all of us face the need to transition our identities from being professional badasses to now being members of society. We were once at the tip of the spear, having led hundreds or even thousands of troops or foreign militaries in combat, and now need to find completely new professions to raise our family and loved ones.

As business leaders and individuals, if we choose to pursue excellence in our professions, it should also be reflected in Every. Thing. We. Do. There is no room for mediocrity. This is only a crutch and can bring on a domino effect of a “good enough” culture in our work and lives, which can spread like cancer and seep into the very essence of your organization. This was what Caslen challenged and reversed, driving the necessity to start winning again, and forever cementing his legacy as the beloved “Supe Daddy.”

“Do you want to run the company?”

Asked my CEO offering me my first real job. He had just given me a role to be the president of a small manufacturing subsidiary, and I was eager as hell. I had just gotten out of my military service in October 2013, and entered a Leadership Development Program for a specialty construction company. During this program, I had lived in hotel rooms for 10 months straight, spending six to seven weeks at a time at various locations throughout the US and been offered this opportunity of a lifetime! I had truly lucked out with my timing and was thrilled to start learning how to lead a business.

We focus on bringing High-Impact Veterans with relevant business experience and gained track record of success, for placement into mid-to-senior level roles. Our Veterans have already figured out what their interests are and what they’re good at in the private sector, and we find them the next level of opportunities to conquer, to be tremendous value-added assets for your company.