013: Are Leaders Born or Are They Made? With Major General (ret.) Craig B. Whelden

In this next Jam Session, I sit with Major General (ret.) Craig Whelden. General Whelden spent 30 years in the U.S. Army, followed by seven in the private sector, and another nine as a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) with the U.S. Marine Corps.

He is also a motivational speaker on leadership and performance excellence, and an award-winning, best-selling author of Leadership: The Art of Inspiring People to Be Their Best.

Key Takeaways:

• Put (metaphorical) “rocks in your rucksack” that represent both the good things you want to adopt but also the bad things you want to avoid
• Prioritize the most important things in your life
• Character is part nature and part nurture
• The very best leaders can be found by combining innate skills with world-class training
• During your darkest times, there's often light at the end of the tunnel. You just can't see it yet
• True leadership is when you can demonstrate you care about everyone in such a way that it sticks with them…forever
• Strive to reach an achievable rung on your career ladder. Once you arrive, everything after that is gravy

Leadership Resources:

• Leadership: The Art of Inspiring People to Be Their Best, by Craig B. Whelden
• https://www.craigwhelden.com/