No turning Back

Stan McChrystal has spent a lifetime attempting to mitigate risk: importantly, in the military, and critically now in the corporate sector. He concluded that we don't handle risk very well – at both the individual and organizational level. This reality had been percolating at the back of his mind for quite some time. The events of the last few years brought these issues to the front burner, and are the topic of his latest book, Risk: A User's Guide. This mini-series on No Turning Back will analyze risk in several parts. Stan and Chris will kick off the series today by exploring how the special operations community thinks of, and responds to, risk.

Stan and Chris know the power of the Operations & Intelligence or O&I brief. As a part of Stan's efforts to transform Joint Special Operations Command, he leaned on Operations & Intelligence brief, or the O&I. It was a tremendously powerful tool that connected countries around the globe and drove the "battle rhythm" of the counterterrorist force.   This week's guest, Jeff Sonnenfeld, runs a similar forum at Yale University. Jeff, the Senior Associate Dean for Leadership Studies & a Professor in the Practice of Management at Yale University's School of Management, leads the CEO Summit, which brings leaders from top businesses, parts of government, and scholars from all corners to discuss important leadership topics.   In today's episode, Stan and Chris speak to Jeff about the CEO Summit. They discuss how and why Jeff created this format, like the O&I, a special tool to connect leaders everywhere against shared challenges. During the discussion, Jeff also speaks to the role of a leader: whether it is to have the moral courage or to appease the constituency.

No Turning Back has reached an important milestone: 50 episodes. In honor of this, we wanted to release some of the most thought-provoking moments from our guests. We've noticed some shared themes over these 50 episodes: leading through COVID-19, building strong, trusting networks, the importance of diversity and inclusion, the dangers and benefits of technology, as well as some odds-and-ends leadership insights.

Meet Norman Wright, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Experience Officer at UnitedHealth Group. Norman, a long-time friend of McChrystal Group, brings a calm, analytical mind and 34 years of experience to the conversation with Stan and Chris. Norman speaks to the protests following George Floyd's murder, shares what it was like to fight against the war that is COVID-19, and how he thinks about balancing the risk of healthcare transformation when change is needed.

Meet Michael Dowling, the President and CEO of Northwell Health, the biggest healthcare provider in the State of New York. Their hospitals, like many around the country, battled against COVID-19, and are now responding to the variants spreading rapidly across the country.   Michael has fascinating leadership observations from COVID-19 that translate well to every challenge. In the conversation, he shares his own personal story of resilience, differentiates having a title from being a leader, and explains why rule-breaking is critical to innovation. Michael also tells us why hurling, an (often violent) Gaelic Irish sport, has affected his own leadership.   Seldom do Stan and Chris speak to a leader with a challenge like the one Michael Dowling faced leading the massive healthcare system during the pandemic. The conversation provides wisdom, offers humor, and a refreshing honesty and perspective that gives us much to think about as the pandemic continues.

Meet Brad Smith, former CEO of Intuit and its current Executive Chairman of its Board of Directors. Stan and Chris are fascinated by how Brad transformed Intuit, diving into leadership lessons learned while Brad was at the helm for 11 years. A West Virginia native, Brad Smith has most recently founded the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, aiming to provide education and entrepreneurial support to Americans in underserved communities. He applies the same customer-driven innovation principles that made him and the team successful at Intuit to these communities: starting with a hypothesis of how to improve conditions, then gathers a group of people, to create sustainable change.   In this discussion, Brad distinguishes passion for principles, explains why vulnerabilities are strengths, and discusses what he learned from President Kennedy's leadership in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Brad is a transformational leader at heart, focusing his efforts on how he can improve the world around him.

Meet Lidia Fonseca, an executive who sits at the center of both the technology and the pharmaceutical industries. Lidia is the Executive Vice President, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Pfizer and is responsible for the company's technology, data, and digital efforts. Her team was critical in developing the Pfizer vaccine - one that has given citizens everywhere hope after COVID-19. Stan and Chris speak to Lidia about how Pfizer and healthcare will be different after the pandemic, why it's important to focus on outcomes rather than activities, and how her leadership has changed after bringing Pfizer through COVID-19.

What can a New Zealand rugby team teach you about leadership? This week, Stan and Chris speak to James Kerr to discover the answer to that question. James Kerr, a bestselling author, speaker, and business consultant, brings an inquisitive mind and practical observations to the conversation. Stan and Chris explore some of the lessons learned from James's best-selling book, Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us About the Business of Life, examining the symbols, rituals, practices, and values that made the All Blacks a successful rugby team.   Beyond the All Blacks, Stan and Chris share interests in common with James, who specializes in high-performing teams and leadership. James explains why smart leaders are great storytellers, draws an important distinction between humility as meekness and humility as confidence, and what CEOs can learn from coaches. James is an expert in his field and was generous with his time. We thank him for the discussion.

This week, Stan and Chris speak with Jake Harriman, the Founder and CEO of More Perfect Union and former Infantry and Force Recon Platoon Commander in the Marine Corps. Jake has lived a life in service to others, focusing on international poverty, as well as the dangers of political extremism in the United States. After spending his childhood in West Virginia, Jake matriculated to the United States Naval Academy – and upon graduating, went on to serve in the Marine Corps as an Infantry and Force Recon Platoon Commander. He left the Marine Corps after seven and a half years of service, and received his MBA from Stanford in order to form Nuru International in 2007, which aims to eradicate poverty worldwide. Jake then pivoted his focus inward to the United States and the dangers of partisanship in American politics to found More Perfect Union, which aims to heal the divide in the country and build a center in American politics. Jake is a fascinating guest with much to say about the world we live in today, and how we can work together to make it better.

This week, Stan and Chris take some listener questions - and speak to some of the burning topics on their minds. As we transition out of the COVID-19 pandemic and look to the future of leadership, they took 40 minutes to dive into what they, and our listeners, are thinking about. They reflect on helpful lessons from communicating in a remote environment, consider the relationship between leadership and ego, as well as the tensions between habits, rule-following, and adapting to be efficient to attack crises at hand.

This week, Stan and Chris speak to Ruba Borno, Senior Vice President and General Manager in Cisco's Customer Experience organization. Stan first met Ruba when she was Chief of Staff to the CEO at Cisco and has been impressed at how Ruba has been a “make it happen” executive throughout the years. Ruba has her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and spent time at Boston Consulting Group before coming to Cisco in 2015 - where she has been Vice President of Growth Initiatives and Vice President and General Manager of Cisco Managed Services, before serving in her current role. Stan and Chris speak to Ruba about why empathy, emotional intelligence, and resilience are important in our leaders, why leaders should ask questions rather than give answers, and how her own experience as a refugee has influenced how she sees her career and leadership.

This week, Stan and Chris speak to Lisa Gevelber, the Chief Marketing Officer, Americas Region at Google, and Vice President of Grow with Google. Lisa has had a fascinating career. A student of Psychology, Lisa started her career at Proctor and Gamble, working at a variety of companies (some start-ups) before moving to Google in 2010. Stan and Chris speak with Lisa about the challenges of technology equality, how she is building trusted networks with community partners to promote economic opportunity, and about Lisa's personal decision to focus her career and build a team for a cause she believes in. As we've become more connected to technology during the COVID crisis, Lisa gives us much to think about - how the entire world can benefit from the opportunities technology provides.

This week, Stan and Chris speak to Gautam Mukunda. Gautam is an expert in leadership who says he aims to have the world's most confusing resume. Gautam is a Jeopardy champion, former consultant, and a Research Fellow at Harvard Kennedy's Center for Public Leadership. He has degrees from Harvard, Dartmouth, and MIT and is the host of Nasdaq's "World Reimagined" podcast. Gautam speaks to leadership and power, the risks of having "superstars" on teams, and gives us a new perspective on the story of George Washington and his wooden teeth.

This week, Stan and Chris speak with Jeevan Kalanithi and Michael Fleischman of OpenSpace. Jeevan is the CEO, and Michael is the Co-founder and Chief Scientist of OpenSpace, which provides cutting-edge technology for capturing and mapping job sites. Jeevan and Michael speak about building a narrative around new technology, how OpenSpace could have helped with Boston's Big Dig Project, and how tech start-up leaders are unique.

In light of the recent Colonial Pipeline cyberattack, Stan and Chris revisit a conversation they had with Jamil Farshchi, the Chief Information Security Officer at Equifax. Jamil has had a distinguished career in information security transformation: he was the first-ever Chief Information Security Officer at Time Warner and worked with both Home Depot and Equifax to build safer networks after their respective cyber breaches. Jamil shares the importance of building culture in our teams and discusses why security is everyone's responsibility in an organization.

This week, Stan and Chris sat down with Henrik Andersen, President and CEO of Vestas Wind Systems. Henrik is leading in an industry that is driving large-scale, global change – shifting how people think, one wind turbine at a time. Henrik shares the importance of letting your leadership grow, trusting your team even in complex crises, in a world increasingly dependent on renewable energy.

This week, Stan and Chris speak with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Patty Horoho, former Army Surgeon General and 23rd Chief of the Army Nurse Corps. Patty is the current CEO of OptumServe. Patty shares insights from her military career, her strategic viewpoint on healthcare, and what it was like to trailblaze as the first female and nurse Surgeon General.

This week, Stan and Chris sit down with Christiana Riley, CEO of Deutsche Bank USA Corporation. After a decades-long career in Germany, Christiana moved to NYC to lead the bank's American branch six months before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Christiana shares the power of communication in an essential global bank, why trust is an outcome and not an input, and what American society can learn from the German economy.

This week, Stan and Chris sat down with Lisa Jaster, a US Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel and Engineer, and one of the first three women to graduate Ranger School. While most candidates go to Ranger School in their 20s, Lisa was 37 when she graduated from the Army's grueling 62-day training course. Lisa reflects on the role of women in special operations, how fitness is key to her lifestyle and leadership in the military and private sector, and how she refuses to "let the quit in" when facing adversity.

This week, Stan and Chris sit down with Jim Hackett, former CEO and President of Ford Motor Company. Jim is no stranger to the CEO role: at 39 years old, Jim was the youngest CEO of Steelcase. He brings decades of expertise to the conversation, discussing why leadership is the intersection of high empathy and high ego, how to build precision at scale, and reveals what businesses can learn from mouses and elephants.

This week, Stan and Chris sat down with Paul Fipps, former Chief Experience Officer at Under Armour and current Senior Vice President of Customer and Partner Excellence at ServiceNow. A former infantry soldier in the 82nd Airborne Division, Paul reflects how the Army shaped his leadership style. Paul discusses taking on “non-obvious roles” in companies to develop new skill sets, how and why you should be creating "epic experiences" for customers, and what questions you should be asking as your teams embark on digital transformation.

This week, Stan and Chris speak with Tristan Harris, the Co-Founder & President of the Center for Humane Technology, the primary subject of the Netflix documentary, “The Social Dilemma,” and former Design Ethicist for Google. He brings years of experience in the technology sector to the conversation, focusing on social media's pervasive influence on how we think and interact. Between the addictive nature of our devices and how much influence something as little as the “like” button has on citizens worldwide, Tristan discusses how the power our technology holds is beyond measure.   We release our McChrystal Group Leader’s Journal every other Wednesday with new No Turning Back episodes and thought leadership pieces. Join us for valuable insights on leadership here: https://www.mcchrystalgroup.com/newsletter/

This week, Dr. Atul Gawande, surgeon, author, and public health researcher, dives into the importance of leadership in the healthcare space. He was a member of President Biden’s COVID-19 transition advisory team and shares his unique perspective on the world’s response to the pandemic. An expert in his field, Dr. Gawande, discusses the similarities between doctors in the operating room and world leaders responding to COVID-19, why checklists and voicing up save lives, and what questions you should be asking yourself when you choose a physician.

Sam Kennedy, President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox, says he works in the “toy of department of life,” providing joy, distraction, and excitement for fans nationwide. Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell sat with Sam at the beginning of the Red Sox’s Spring Training and discussed Sam’s three priorities for the Red Sox: winning games, preserving Fenway Park, and being active in the community. Sam shares what it’s like to lead in a fishbowl with some of the nation’s most enthusiastic fans and why the frontline employees at Fenway Park are the center of gravity for the team. As the Red Sox embark on the crucial months of their training, Kennedy shares how the team will make a comeback after COVID-19. We release our McChrystal Group Leader’s Journal every other Wednesday with new No Turning Back episodes and thought leadership pieces. Join us for valuable insights on leadership here: https://www.mcchrystalgroup.com/newsletter/ 

This week, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell sat down with Tyson Voelkel, the President of the Texas A&M Foundation. The Texas A&M Foundation aims to build a brighter future for Texas A&M University as its primary academic fundraising institution. Most recently, the Foundation raised over $4.25 billion in Texas’s largest higher education campaign - a scale of at least $1.2 million every day, for 365 days straight. Tyson is a thoughtful, adaptable leader who brings his 12 years of leadership as an infantry officer in the US Army to the Texas A&M Foundation. Stan and Chris talk to Tyson about establishing trusted relationships between the fund, the university, and the donors - and learn how listening is crucial to the Foundation's success.

Stan McChrystal once told Keith Krach that he was one of the few leaders he’s known in business that we could put a uniform on tomorrow and be effective as a general officer in the United States Army. This week, Stan and Chris Fussell sit down with Keith Krach, the former Chairman, CEO, & President of DocuSign, the former Chairman and CEO of Ariba, and most recently, the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. They discuss Keith’s leadership across the public and private sectors, how to build trust in new teams, and why we should wear failure like a badge of honor.

Every night at 9 p.m. EST, Rachel Maddow sits down to discuss the latest in American politics on her award-winning "The Rachel Maddow Show." This week, Stan and Chris explore Maddow's conclusions about leadership after her 13 years of examining the political space - discussing whether Americans overweigh the importance of leadership, as well as the role of media in politics, using history and experience as their guide.

Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell first sat down with "Mayor Pete" Buttigieg in April of last year to record their first episode of No Turning Back. Stan and Chris release the episode's audio for the first time, revisiting now-Secretary Buttigieg's thoughts on the power of local leadership to navigate the COVID-19 crisis, the necessity of trust, and the need to innovate as we tackle global challenges. As Secretary Buttigieg starts his new role in the Cabinet, Stan and Chris reflect on the challenges and benefits of developing trust in teams - in an important time in our nation's history.

What is the Space Force? How do you build a new armed service and lead a new frontier? This week, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell sit down with Lt Gen Saltzman, the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the United States Space Force, to hear the answers to these questions. As the first US Air Force general officer who was transferred and promoted in the Space Force, Lt Gen Saltzman discusses the newest armed service in the Department of Defense and shares what’s at stake for protecting our space capabilities. He relays important lessons about when to take revolutionary, and not evolutionary, steps to create a new team – sharing important wisdom on how to build team culture from the ground-up.

Walgreens has a new incoming CEO: Rosalind (Roz) Brewer. Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell revisit their fascinating conversation with Roz, reflecting on how her value-based approach to leadership, connection to frontline workers, and long-term focus on initiatives rather than immediate wins will position her well to take on the CEO role during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tim Brown and Iain Roberts are experts within the design thinking field, and are the Executive Chair at IDEO and its Chief Operating Officer, respectively. This week, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell sit down with Tim and Iain to learn more about how design shapes the world to fit consumers' needs, how prototyping mitigates risk, and why organizations learn faster by building faster.

Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell interview Mike Hayes, a 20-year veteran of the Navy SEALs, the former Director of Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council, and most recently, the Chief Digital Transformation Officer at VMWare. Hayes is a dynamic and experienced leader who shares his changing perspective on risk as he shifts through industries, how he approaches the first 90 days in any new role, and what businesses can learn from the SEALs’ training technique to lift a giant log over your head.

Garry Kasparov is one of the world's most well-known and accomplished chess players. But he built on his excellence and notoriety in chess to become a pro-democracy advocate in Russia, and for democracy globally. Through his remarkable career at the heights of the game, Garry proved that hard work is a talent, and that mistakes are great fuel for practice. Beyond chess, Garry discusses his ongoing efforts to promote democracy worldwide, how he thinks about risk-taking, and finding your purpose.

Stan and Chris kick off the new year with an episode answering questions from No Turning Back listeners. This podcast started in April of 2020 during the heavy uncertainty of crisis, leaving leaders in uniquely tough situations trying to support the health of their team and business. It’s thanks to our listeners that we’ve been able to continue this podcast many guests and months later. Enjoy Stan and Chris as they answer questions on national service, leading through change, and their surprising career leadership lessons.

Simon Sinek is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, which led to his viral TED Talk about how great leaders inspire action with the concept of “why.” He is a thought leader changing how we connect leaders and organizations together to inspire a sense of purpose and action. A visionary and optimist, Simon shares his perspective on the future of organizations, observations from teams this year, and why people are so motivated to find their purpose.

Brian Kilmeade, co-host of Fox News show Fox & Friends and author of numerous books about historical American leaders, shares his perspective about present-day leaders and how they compare to leaders throughout history. In this episode, they discuss how Brian’s day to day work in the media creates the space for him to be a leader, record history each day, and compare today's climate with past eras and what it means for those in the public eye.

Jan Singer is one of America's most experienced fashion retail CEOs. She's built a reputation and a playbook for effectiveness and agility through her CEO roles at Spanx, Victoria's Secret, and J.Crew. She joins Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell on this week's episode to share her experience of becoming a senior leader, transforming companies in the retail space, and leading them through the pressures of a pandemic.

Scott Rechler is the CEO of RXR Realty, served on the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, served as Vice Chairman of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and is Chairman of the Regional Plan Association. An expert on real estate development and operations, Scott has a unique perspective on what the future of work looks like - both how offices will look, and how teams will collaborate. In this episode, we start with a far-out visioning exercise about how the world will transform, and draw out lessons on leading today, leading through transformation, and being a good citizen.

This week, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell are joined by Norah O’Donnell, well known as the Lead Anchor & Editor for CBS Evening News, regular contributor to 60 Minutes, and third woman to ever solo anchor the evening news on a major network. She built her career on thorough investigative journalism and the belief that the key components of leadership are accuracy, truth, and relationship building. In this episode, you will hear about Norah’s commitment to the truth and commitment to serve the public through journalism.

Eric Roza is a successful technology CEO, and fitness fanatic. After years of training with and owning a CrossFit box, he ended up becoming a significant investor into CrossFit, and now its CEO. CrossFit is undergoing a public, major transformation and Eric's lessons about crisis leadership and how to leverage his personal passion for the CrossFit brand and experience are instructive for all leaders. This is an episode about how to be your best self - in your personal life, and professional life.

Sue Desmond-Hellmann wrapped up a six-year tenure as CEO of the Gates Foundation this summer, where she sat at the center of the world’s largest philanthropic effort. Beyond her time there Sue was the chancellor of UC San Francisco, a division President at Genentech, and one of the world’s foremost oncology researchers – building a leadership profile that’s almost without rival. With her down to earth approach to leadership, the way she engages with people on her team, and how she builds team - there is a lot to learn from Sue on how to lead in all sectors and the common playbook she brings to each of those roles.

Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell interview Wes Moore, an army combat veteran, national bestselling author, and CEO of Robin Hood Foundation, a major nonprofit trying to fight poverty in New York City. In this episode, Wes talks about his upbringing in Baltimore and New York and how his childhood experiences in the military academy was forging for him, putting him on a powerful path towards where he is now today, a young leader with a relentless focus on serving others.

In today’s episode, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell interview Jeff Immelt. Jeff is a Venture Partner at New Enterprise Associates and former Chairman and CEO of General Electric. From being a new member of a massive organization to running the company for well over a decade and a half, Jeff has lived through the leadership experience at every level. In this interview, Jeff talks about his book that will be soon released and shares the voice of a leader who has spent a few years diving deeply into their own experiences being very honest about strengths and weaknesses that he learned along the way.

In this episode, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell interview Michèle Flournoy. Michèle, a managing Partner of WestExec Advisors located in D.C., has held multiple senior positions inside the Pentagon – including serving as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy during the Obama administration. She is known as a thoughtful and hardworking public servant and accomplished team builder for mission critical teams. In this episode, Michèle talks about the impact of leadership in national security, advising Presidents and Secretaries of Defense, and what she’s learned in the private sector since she left government 8 years ago.

Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell speak with Molly Joseph, Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare Global and Executive Vice President of UnitedHealth Group. They discuss the differences between leadership and management and the impact of authentic leadership on organizational morale and efficiency.

In this episode, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell are joined by West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin. Very few people have led at the levels that Senator Machin has - with over 15 years combined as a Governor and Senator. He entered the Senate in 2010 and over the past decade he has maintained a rare ability to create bipartisan relationships and trust. Together, they discuss how Senator Manchin approaches his role as a bridge builder, and how he navigates what ultimately has become a very lonely position in today's American politics.

In this episode, Stan McChrystal and Chris Fussell are joined by Roy March, industry leader and CEO of Eastdil Secured. Together, they discuss building a collaborative, cohesive organization that inspires confidence in the team and with their clients, and how to embrace change in the real estate space while seizing opportunity in this dynamic market.

Tony Reno is an American football coach and former player, who was brought in to Yale Football as Head Coach in 2012. In this episode, they discuss Tony's Leadership Playbook and how a successful program, winning, and the performance of the team will be the outcome of developing leaders and developing leadership culture where the intent of creating young leaders comes first.

Alex Gorsky is the long-time CEO of Johnson & Johnson. In this conversation, he talks about leading an American icon like J&J, and the company's contributions to the global effort for a Covid-19 vaccine. He also discusses with Stan the leadership lessons learned as junior infantry officers and West Pointers, and how those lessons shaped him as a CEO of a global company today.

Keith Ferrazzi is an author of the best seller Never Eat Alone and the newly released Leading without authority. Earlier in his career Keith has worked closely with Michael Milken, was the CMO at Deloitte, and the youngest CMO at a Fortune 500, Starwood Hotels. In this episode, Keith, Stan and Chris discuss how to create personal networks and how to ignite hope and create transformation in today’s networked organizations.

Rosalind (Roz) Brewer is the Chief Operating Officer at Starbucks. In this episode, Roz, Stan and Chris discuss the philosophy of leadership in times of constant change and how leaders can implement disciplined company-wide communication to enable speed of execution.