Are leaders born or made? Major General Clay Hutmacher believes that leadership is a learned skill. He spent 41 years in the United States military and commanded the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment; one of the most lethal projections of combat power the world has ever seen.

Precision execution is required every second of every day to assume - and succeed - at the extreme level of risk at which this unit operates. 

Major General Hutmacher is now the President and CEO of The Special Operations Warrior Foundation where he has dedicated his post-military career to providing education to the children of our fallen Special Operations warriors and Medal of Honor recipients. 

MG Hutmacher joins host Fran Racioppi, and special guest host TWG Founder and Navy SEAL Mike Sarraille, to discuss raising the standards of leadership, the importance of organizations creating expertise across functional, technical and strategic thought domains, realistic training, and the balance between mission and people when the mission calls for relentless dedication.

Read the full episode transcription here and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website.

Highlights: 

-How a motto like “Night Stalkers Don’t Quit” unifies an organization around a common purpose and mission.

-Standards are required in any organization, but it is the adherence to the standards that separates the elite from everyone else. 

-Lessons on managing elite performers who have a very high operational tempo, a no fail mission and the effects of prolonged operation. 

-MG Hutmacher shows us how leaders evaluate risk, and how longevity and experience of an organization’s personnel will allow a leader to assume more risk in their operations. 

-Special Operations Warrior Foundation empowers the families and children of our fallen and severely wounded Special Operators and Medal of Honor recipients. Learn how you can support their mission at specialops.org.

-MG Hutmacher provides an invaluable history lesson of combat aviation in special operations throughout the world including Somalia, South America, and The Middle East. 

Quotes:

-”You lead by example in your personal and professional life”

-” I learned a lot through that process, about change, being an agent of change. Land mines that are out there that you need to be careful of. But taking the long view on change.”

-”I have learned more hearing things that I wanted to hear the least.” 

-”That policing and enforcing of standards isn’t just me at the top, it’s all throughout the depth and breadth of your organization.”

-”At one level it is understandable they are doing this based on fatigue, but it is unacceptable, regardless. “

-”I believe leadership is a learned skill. I don’t buy into the natural leadership thing. And I still learn.”

-I didn’t shy away from making hard decisions and holding people accountable, but I was also very cognizant of the perspective of a young soldier.”

-”There is an argument to be made that when you come into an organization your most productive time is that first three to six months.”

-“If we put you in, you can bank on it, we will come get you. I don’t care what it takes.”

MG Hutmacher’s Three Daily Foundations of Success:

-Pray everyday

-Workout Everyday

-Spend time with family everyday