General Goldfein retired from the U.S. Air Force in October 2020 after a distinguished 37-year career, culminating as the country’s highest-ranking air force officer. As Chief of Staff, General Goldfein was responsible for over 693,000 men and women serving around the world, managing an annual operating budget of over $168 billion and the readiness of all U.S. air and space power. Over the course of his career, General Goldfein held a wide range of command, operational and joint staff assignments, including Director of the Joint Staff for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Air Component Commander for U.S. Central Command.

Conversation time-stamps

0:00 - Malcom Gladwell / 2:22 - “In every challenge, an opportunity” / 5:00 - The secret to a 40 year marriage  / 7:50 - The Order of The Sword / 12:10 - “Am I worthy?” / 14:20 - How CMSgt Wright became CMSAF #18 Wright / 16:10 - Relationships you NEED to invest in if you’re a leader / 17:48 - The power of Diamond 1 / 19:18 - Behind Enemy Lines (BEL) / 25:20 - (BEL) The most worrisome moment / 29:05 - (BEL) What was on his mind the most / 31:50 - (BEL) “Start finding me boys” /  34:00 - Most memorable moment as CSAF #21 / 39:05 - The value of our Military Spouses / 41:43 - Q1 from Manny Pineiro “How do you make time count?” / 43:49 - Q2 “Proudest moment as CSAF” / 46:39 - Why I love JD so much

Get to know Military Spouse and entrepreneur @madisonhelenelyn_ who is a wellness coach, yoga & spin instructor, and a spouse to a USAF pilot. She is also a holistic lifestyle coach who recently started leading wellness retreats in Costa Rica.

https://www.madsmovement.com

Madison’s “Why”

My friends call me Mads though my name isMadison. You can call me either. I grew up a dancer and because I wasn’t the best, I had to work hard. I spent time dancing with the NYC Rockettes, still one of my favorite “fun facts”. When I knew I wouldn’t dance on Broadway, I shifted gears and started to learn Cirque Arts before working in TV and Film.

I found myself in Los Angeles and London working 90 hour work weeks, convincing myself I loved my work and my life.

I have overcome grief and trauma in my life. I have felt embarrassed, ashamed, and afraid. I isolated myself from loved ones. I was in and out of therapist offices and harming my body in ways no one could see. I spent so much money, I couldn’t afford rent.

I teach, I coach, I train because change is hard. I have successfully done it myself and now I want to help you take the first step. I want to work with your lifestyle to create a custom plan for YOU while staying in your budget. I want you to know that even when you isolate yourself, I am there.

I want to be the person for you that I didn’t have.

"I am passionate about creating positive employee experiences, teaching leaders to be more effective, and helping people reach their full performance potential, both at and outside of work. It's impossible for a person to be their best self if they are disengaged at work. That's why it's so important to create workplaces that are concerned about the well-being of their people. When employees are highly engaged, they live happier, fuller, healthier lives, their organizations flourish, and our society benefits as well."

0:00 - Get to know Don

7:50 - How to rapidly build teams

13:24 - Flexibility; freedom

13:35 - What I like about it is risk. Creating something from nothing.

18:55 - First question for entrepreneurs - How confident are you in YOU?

19:12 - Second question - How much money do you really need?

19:53 - Third question - Can you sell?

21:20 - "I Surrounded myself with people who had an elevated mindset."

31:05 - Learned how to be a leader by interacting with young people.

32:14 - Staying relevant.

33:42 - Leaders moral obligation is to prepare people for change.

34:35 - Constantly being reinvented and learning.

37:25 - What the future looks like for humanity.

42:50 - Brother Ali

47:30 - Lessons learned from mentoring juveniles in prison.

53:05 - The happiness formula

1:01:25 - Why I love Don so much

Chief Master Sergeant Heriberto Diaz is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, Third Air Force, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The Third Air Force is U.S. Air Forces in Europe's Numbered Air Force for U.S. European Command as well as the U.S. Air Forces in Africa's Numbered Air Force for U.S. Africa Command, and is comprised of nine active-duty wings, ninety geographically separated units spanning 104 countries across Europe and Africa. As the Numbered Air Force’s Senior Enlisted Leader, Chief Diaz advises the commander on issues affecting the readiness, organization, training, health, welfare, morale, development, and utilization of 30,000 Airmen.

Chief Diaz is from Playas, New Mexico and enlisted in the Air Force in 1995. He has served in various duties in Munitions Maintenance, Operations

(This discussion is not endorsed by the USAF, it is a fun discussion between friends with the hope someone can gain positive insight)

Chad is the Commandant for the Edwards Airman Leadership School at Edwards AFB and gives us his top 5 lessons learned running the schoolhouse. He spent 14 years and 2 special duties in the security forces and enlisted professional military education communities. Currently, he develop's entry level supervisors through a five week leadership development course. Additionally, he's grown a passion for driving digital transformation through the education lenses while building an innovation eco-system across the Air Force within the educational community. He's managed many initiatives focused on human performance, talent management and emerging technologies with tech industry.   Since 2016, he has worked with multiple universities and industry partners nationwide to address education challenges across the Air Force. His work with AFWERX has spurred multiple solutions that have scaled across the U.S Air Force and Army. Chad's efforts have also launched many products and prototypes focused on human capital and micro-transportation. Chad lives in Lancaster, California with his wife and soon to be first child on the way, and also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports & Health Science.

Conversation Talking Points:

0:00 - Intro

2:03 - Who would play you in a movie?

3:23 - What book should every Airman read?

6:05 - How did your mentor help you find your ‘why’?

7:18 - “Being ME got me HERE”

8:41 - Top 5 Lessons learned from Airman Leadership School

13:58 - Lesson 1: Talk less and listen more.Act on what Airmen tell you.

16:20 - Leveraging SMEs “I don’t want to help everybody, I want to give everybody the opportunity to help others”

18:07 - Lesson 2: Be authentic! Being authentic is more inspiring than the process.

21:25 - Were you ever uncomfortable being your authentic self?

23:06 - Why leadership takes courage.

24:13 - Lesson 3: I’m OK…You’re OK.  Start from the position that everyone is doing the best they can. Learn to encourage and support, which is more rewarding than finding fault.

28:53 - Lesson 4: Being right isn’t enough. Make Airmen’s ideas a reality.

31:05 - Having a “good idea” is only half the battle - Getting it supported is the other half.

34:16 - Lesson 5: Everyone has a story - Find a way for Airmen to tell their story in a way they understand.

40:28 - Not sharing ideas and resources and how this mentality will put us behind.

41:36 - The advantage of risk taking.

47:18 - Why I love Chad so much and AF Quarantine University.

Myself and Mike Rosa sit down at Black Rifle Coffee in Niceville Florida to catch up. We moved from Whiteman AFB, Missouri to Eglin Afb Florida back in the fall of 2021 - At that time we were on top of the world and killing it in our careers. Everything that could go right - did go right - the sky was the limit and we were thrilled for our futures. Unfortunately, we both hit a dead end in our own unique way and this closed the door on our "Plan A" We were now facing the reality that a "Plan B" had to exist - where do we go from here?

Talking Points - Time Stamps:

0:00 - intro

1:17 - Mike Rosa

2:54 - Clear path

3:03 - Believed I could

4:00 - Cross training

7:34 - Been top notch

8:31 - Six months in a eight month course

8:55 - Failed test three times - got separated from program

10:42 - Josh - the worst career experience

11:06 - Josh - all time low; questioning my self worth and purpose

11:40 - Josh - that plan not happening anymore

12:35 - Mike - first time majored failed

15:28 - Mike - not healthy basing self worth making it in EOD

16:27 - Josh - caught up in titles or accomplishments for validation

17:30 - Josh - one thing learned - all eggs in one basket - no plan B

18:00 - Josh - caring too much what people thought

19:56 - Josh - be confident even when attacked

20:10 - Josh - rooted & confident In yourself & abilities without appraisals of others

30:36 - Josh - had good ideas but officer in charge shot it down

32:30 - Mike - take my ideas; giving me creative room; the one in charge not in control of it takes a lot of self growth

34:20 - Mike - washed out - what next?

36:36 - Mike - self respect by doing my job the best of my ability

38:20 - Josh - retire at 20. It hit me when I applied for a special duty and did not get it

42:42 - Final Thoughts - don’t invest in degradable aspects in life