In this episode, I reconnect with Matt Jones, the CEO of Sigma Defense. 

Matt and I first met a few years ago when my company was brought in to do a human capital assessment of Matt and his leadership team. From the very beginning, we connected on both a professional and personal level. It was clear he was a driven leader, willing to step outside his comfort zone to achieve ambitious goals. What stood out to me most was his open-minded, culturally focused approach to leadership.

In this conversation, we talk about how his leadership has evolved as his company has grown tenfold since that time. Matt opens up about what drives and motivates him, and he shares how he builds strong teams, makes tough decisions under pressure, and stays authentic during periods of rapid change.

We also dive into the role of vulnerability, why it’s not a weakness, but a core strength of effective leadership and how trust isn’t just a value, it’s the foundation for execution in complex, high-stakes environments.