Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Go to War With the Army You've Got With Dr. Brian EA “Beam” Maue
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Go to War With the Army You've Got With Dr. Brian EA “Beam” Maue
We're dipping into the archives for one of our most popular episodes! Andy Lopata revisits his fascinating conversation with Dr. Beam Maue, co-founder of AFWERX, the innovation mission within the US Air Force.
How do you build a forward-thinking, agile community within one of the world's most hierarchical organisations? Dr. Brian shares the incredible story of how AFWERX grew from just five people into an award-winning ecosystem that connected with over 700 new small businesses, many
of whom had never worked with the government before.
This episode is a masterclass in leading change from within. Dr. Brian explains his philosophy of "going to war with the army you've got," empowering the team you have rather than wishing for another. He shares powerful stories, from a pig farmer's innovative soap to navigating Pentagon red tape, illustrating how to manage the environment
for innovation, not the innovation itself. Tune in to learn how to foster
experimentation, build momentum through short-term wins, and lead with a "faeces umbrella" to protect your team.
Key Takeaways
Lead the Team You Have: You must work with the people and resources available, not the ones you wish you had. The key is to identify and play to their existing strengths.
Manage the Environment, Not the Innovation: A leader’s role isn’t to direct every innovative step but to create a safe environment where experimentation, learning, and even small-scale failures are encouraged.
Empower Your Experts: Trust the experts on your team. Instead of dictating their goals, give them the space to define the strategy and tell you what’s needed for success.
Stories and Short-Term Wins Build Momentum: Data is forgettable, but stories stick. Highlight short-term wins to prove the value of your mission, build belief, and attract support from sceptical stakeholders.
Flow Like Water Around Bureaucracy: When facing bureaucratic obstacles, seek out allies who interpret rules with an "if it's not illegal" mindset. Don't waste energy on pockets of resistance; pivot to where there is less friction.
Actionable Insights
personnel” into a globally-ranked best place to work for innovators?
Tune in to learn more.
SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter YouTube
Connect with Daniela Landher: LinkedIn
The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring
Episode 121 Featuring Dr. Beam
View all episodes
By Evergreen Podcasts
5
55 ratings
We're dipping into the archives for one of our most popular episodes! Andy Lopata revisits his fascinating conversation with Dr. Beam Maue, co-founder of AFWERX, the innovation mission within the US Air Force.
How do you build a forward-thinking, agile community within one of the world's most hierarchical organisations? Dr. Brian shares the incredible story of how AFWERX grew from just five people into an award-winning ecosystem that connected with over 700 new small businesses, many
of whom had never worked with the government before.
This episode is a masterclass in leading change from within. Dr. Brian explains his philosophy of "going to war with the army you've got," empowering the team you have rather than wishing for another. He shares powerful stories, from a pig farmer's innovative soap to navigating Pentagon red tape, illustrating how to manage the environment
for innovation, not the innovation itself. Tune in to learn how to foster
experimentation, build momentum through short-term wins, and lead with a "faeces umbrella" to protect your team.
Key Takeaways
Lead the Team You Have: You must work with the people and resources available, not the ones you wish you had. The key is to identify and play to their existing strengths.
Manage the Environment, Not the Innovation: A leader’s role isn’t to direct every innovative step but to create a safe environment where experimentation, learning, and even small-scale failures are encouraged.
Empower Your Experts: Trust the experts on your team. Instead of dictating their goals, give them the space to define the strategy and tell you what’s needed for success.
Stories and Short-Term Wins Build Momentum: Data is forgettable, but stories stick. Highlight short-term wins to prove the value of your mission, build belief, and attract support from sceptical stakeholders.
Flow Like Water Around Bureaucracy: When facing bureaucratic obstacles, seek out allies who interpret rules with an "if it's not illegal" mindset. Don't waste energy on pockets of resistance; pivot to where there is less friction.
Actionable Insights
personnel” into a globally-ranked best place to work for innovators?
Tune in to learn more.
SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter YouTube
Connect with Daniela Landher: LinkedIn
The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring
Episode 121 Featuring Dr. Beam