Dave Berke, former Marine and TOPGUN instructor, Echelon Front’s director of leadership & alignment programs — When Humility Meets Preparation

This podcast shares the habits and practices of peak performers and top leaders, from many walks of life; physicians, senior executives, entrepreneurs, and academics. And from every season, from the seasoned and sage to those emerging leaders and rising rock stars. All who are blazing trails and shining a light for others.

After a 23-year stint in the Marine Corp, including time as a TOPGUN instructor, Dave Berke has teamed up with Echelon Front to develop and train leaders in non-military sectors.

Dave argues that leadership is leadership, no matter the venue. He believes the skills and attributes needed to be an excellent military officer are no different than those needed by leaders in the private sector.

And what does he believe is the more important attribute of a leader? Humility. Dave makes the argument that humility is what makes us sweat the details; it’s what makes us disclose our mistakes so that we and others can learn from them. Humility is what propels us to painstakingly prepare for less-than-ideal situations and scenarios.

And when it comes to being prepared, Dave believes many leaders use the “out of my control” excuse too liberally. Obviously, there are many factors over which have little, if any, control. But that doesn’t mean we can’t anticipate difficult, less-than-idea scenarios and plan accordingly. In the same way a pilot doesn’t complain about not being able to control the weather, an effective leader won’t complain about what he can’t control but will instead prepare for difficult scenarios.

Dave calls “looking out for your own best interest” a losing strategy. By looking out for the interests of the organization and of those around us, we will, in fact, do what’s best, in the long run, for ourselves too.