EP 61: In Extremis Leadership: Lessons for Entrepreneurs

Effective leadership in times of uncertainty hinges on trust, especially when chaos is in play. Retired Brigadier General Tom Kolditz joins Alex Raymond to share leadership insights drawn from his military experience and his book, “In Extremis Leadership.” Tom explains how startup founders, like military leaders in crisis, often face overwhelming uncertainty. And for him, the key to guiding a team through it is trust.

Tom urges entrepreneurs to focus outward and shift their attention from their own anxieties to the needs of their teams. He talks about the importance of both mentorship and coaching in leadership, and expounds that mentors offer advice from experience, while coaches are skilled in guiding leaders to grow.

Tom warns that excessive self-interest can undermine trust within teams, especially in high-pressure moments. He encourages leaders to engage their teams, rather than pulling back, when the going gets tough. Building a culture of shared risk and accountability fosters resilience and trust. Tune in to learn how great leadership, especially in times of crisis, relies on emotional intelligence, personal growth, and a solid support system.

Quotes

• “What makes dangerous circumstances truly dangerous is living with uncertainty… The principles and lessons we learn from leaders in dangerous contexts apply almost perfectly to the uncertain, chaotic set of circumstances that most startup CEOs go through.” (04:03 | Tom Kolditz)
• “If you’re living with uncertainty, you tend to not have the information that you might have in a more stabilized, older company. And what that means is that your influence as a leader is not through management. It’s through trust.” (05:46 | Tom Kolditz)
• “It’s very important that leaders not pour their emotions into their people when those emotions are negative like fear, anger, frustration.” (10:40 | Tom Kolditz)
• “It’s a very bad idea to think that crisis leadership is different from the leadership that you did the week before. You have to be in the same mode all the time because otherwise it’s too late. Crises come like that. And if you don’t have money in the bank, if you don’t have preparation for that, it’s going to be very difficult for you.” (46:09 | Tom Kolditz)
• “If professional baseball players who are at the top of their game still need coaches, then certainly those of us in leadership roles can benefit from having a good coach as well.” (47:18 | Tom Kolditz)

Links

Connect with Tom Kolditz:

Website: https://tomkolditz.com/

Connect with Alex Raymond:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afraymond/

Website: https://consciousentrepreneur.us/

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