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Mark Esper

๐Ÿ‘ค Speaker
273 total appearances

Appearances Over Time

Podcast Appearances

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

Well, you raised it earlier.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

It's you're leading large organizations and typically, you know, hundreds, if not thousands of people.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

And so again, it's, it's a, it's a clear articulation of who you are, what you believe in and emphasizing that and, and doing so not in terms of sending out memorandums all the time and speeches, those things are important and notes to the, and notes to the company, but also going around talking to employees, getting to know them, walking factory floors, things like that.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

So to me, communication is,

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

articulating a clear set of principles and ideas that guide you, accountability and responsibility, right?

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

There's no harm in saying I made a mistake or we made a mistake or I'm responsible.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

Too often in D.C.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

you hear you're not supposed to say those things.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

And some leaders are kind of, I think, courageous enough to do that.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

So I think taking responsibility for your actions, but then also having the courage of your vision.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

to take the company maybe in a different direction.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

And you see that happening at times.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

And what you often find out is that you always have a minority of folks who are on board with you, another minority who are opposing you, and who you have to persuade is that big mass in the middle, that you're doing the right thing, you're on the right path, and we will be successful.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

It may not be easy, but ultimately we will be successful if we put in the hard work, the intensity, the focus over a sustained period of time.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

Nothing wins like success, right?

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

Another military principle, lead by example, right?

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

You have to be willing to do what your soldiers are doing.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

You have to be able to live their hardships, live their lives and, you know, if need be, help them clean latrine or put up a tent or whatever the case may be.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

Yeah.

Living The Red Life
27th U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper: Power, Leadership, and Life-or-Death Decisions

Yes, I think it would be bad for the military and expensive for the country.