Teach Me to Fish "Helping Leaders better understand what drives People"

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This episode of Forged In The Pacific features a conversation between Brigade Command Sergeant Major Jeremiah Waggoner (1/11 Infantry Division) and Operations Group Brigade Command Sergeant Major Alan Porter (JPMRC). They discuss lessons learned from the recent JPMRC 26-02 exercise in Alaska, emphasizing the critical role of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) in Arctic readiness and training.

Key Discussion Points:

• The NCO Backbone: The speakers highlight that NCOs provide essential, unvarnished feedback. They emphasize that while officers plan, NCOs are the primary practitioners responsible for ensuring soldiers are prepared (0:36-1:32).
• Arctic Fieldcraft & Survival: A major theme is the difference between "surviving" (staying warm and fed) and "thriving" (maintaining operational tempo, mobility, and offensive capability in extreme temperatures). They discuss the importance of leader checks (PCIs/PCCs) and managing soldier exposure (12:26-14:48).
• Planning & Logistics: The interview stresses the importance of math and science in planning for Arctic movement, especially when dealing with equipment like snow machines and cold weather gear. They note that rehearsals for Personnel Zones (PZs) are an area for continued improvement (9:06-10:39).
• Collaboration: The team highlights the value of working with multinational partners, specifically mentioning the insights gained from the Canadian military (3RCR) regarding logistical planning for difficult terrain (22:42-24:00).
• Future Outlook: CSM Waggoner is transitioning to JMRC in Europe, and CSM Porter discusses upcoming rotations in the Philippines. Both leaders emphasize the importance of consolidating "lessons learned" to build continuity as leadership transitions (32:13-34:25).

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

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This episode from the Forged In The Pacific podcast features an interview with 5-1 CAV leadership following a JPMRC 26-02 rotation in Alaska. The discussion focuses on the critical role of reconnaissance and security operations and how these fundamental skills are essential for future military transformations.

Key Takeaways:

• Reconnaissance Fundamentals: The squadron commander emphasizes that regardless of unit type or technology, the core mission of gaining and maintaining contact with the enemy remains paramount (13:27). The most critical tasks identified are zone reconnaissance and maintaining a screen line (16:40-17:06).
• The Power of Common Language: Success in combat operations requires shared understanding across the brigade, particularly regarding reconnaissance handovers. Effective communication between cavalry squadrons and infantry battalions is vital for shaping the battlefield (20:40-24:00).
• The Four Methods of Recon: The guest highlights the four methods of reconnaissance—mounted, dismounted, aerial, and sensor—and stresses the need to train leaders in all four to ensure redundancy when technology fails (46:58-48:00).
• Leader Development Advice: For units preparing for CTC rotations, the focus should be on mastering the basics and nesting these fundamentals across all echelons (57:16-58:18). Commanders are advised to spend more time with their staff to ensure their vision and intent are clearly translated into action, rather than becoming trapped in the tactical 24-hour fight (1:00:40-1:01:52).

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

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This episode of Forged in the Pacific is a conversation with LTC Glenn Burkey, the OPFOR (Opposing Force) Commander during the JPMRC 26-02 exercise in Alaska. The discussion focuses on the complexities of leading a battalion in an Arctic environment and the unique responsibilities of the OPFOR role. 

Key takeaways include:

• Mission Mindset: LTC Burkey emphasizes that treating training as a tactical mission—rather than administrative—is crucial for readiness (8:07 - 9:37).
• Arctic Challenges: Operating in extreme cold (down to -30°F) introduces significant risks, including equipment failure and cold weather injuries. Maintaining combat power requires deliberate planning and leadership engagement to prevent loss of capability (27:17 - 31:40).
• Mission Command: To maintain a "fingertip feel" for the battle, the battalion utilized a split approach, positioning command elements to stay mobile and informed while empowering subordinates at the company level (19:38 - 24:25).
• Leadership Philosophy: LTC Burkey attributes the unit's success to the NCO core and the empowerment of leaders at all levels. He stresses that demonstrating care for soldiers—such as providing hot chow or monitoring health—is decisive in harsh conditions (35:36 - 39:49).
• Continuous Transformation: The unit actively prepares for future requirements (such as upcoming training in the Philippines) by evaluating equipment needs and personnel readiness quarters in advance (40:07 - 42:29).

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

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Episode #87 — Better Because We Were Here

Give Soldiers a Voice, Turn Feedback Into Action, and Build a Better Life with Hots&Cots

What if one of the best ways to take care of Soldiers is simply to listen to them—and then do something with what they tell us?

In Episode #87 of the Teach Me to Fish Podcast, we explore Hots&Cots and the idea behind a platform sometimes described as the “Yelp of Army life.” Soldiers can share their experiences with the places that shape everyday life—from barracks and dining facilities to gyms, MWR, medical facilities, and more.

But this conversation is about much more than ratings and reviews.

It’s about helping people have a better life because we were around.

We talk about giving Soldiers a voice, creating transparency, turning feedback into action, and helping leaders see what their people experience every day. We also discuss the future of Soldier quality of life, the Army’s evolving approach to barracks, and how tools like Hots&Cots can help connect policy, leadership, and the lived experience of Soldiers.

At its core, this episode asks a simple leadership question:

Are the people and places around us better because we were here?

In this episode

• Better because we were here — why improving someone else’s life is a powerful measure of impact.
• “We are here to help.” — approaching problems with service rather than criticism.
• Giving Soldiers a voice — creating ways for people closest to a problem to share what they actually experience.
• The “Yelp of Army life” — how Hots&Cots brings visibility to barracks, chow halls, gyms, MWR, medical facilities, and more.
• Feedback → action — collecting information matters only if we use it to make things better.
• Transparency builds accountability — helping leaders understand what Soldiers are experiencing across installations.
• Barracks matter — where Soldiers live has a direct connection to how valued and cared for they feel.
• The future of Soldier quality of life — using technology, data, leadership, and Soldier feedback together rather than treating them as separate efforts.
• New barracks policy, new opportunity — why this is an important moment to connect Army policy with what Soldiers are actually experiencing.
• Leadership at every level — you don't need to control the entire system to improve the part of it you're responsible for.

The takeaway

You don't have to solve every problem.

Listen. Help. Act. Make something better.

Whether it's a barracks room, a dining facility, an organization, a team, or simply the person next to you, the goal is the same:

That’s leadership. That’s service. And that’s the idea behind Episode #87 of Teach Me to Fish.

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

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Today's conversation is with Alberto Llavona "Berto". Learn more about Berto at http://www.linkedin.com/in/alberto-llavona-4067b63b4. 

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

Episode #85: Your Priorities Become Your Life
Set Them Intentionally, Love and Serve People Well, Let the Rest Fall in Line, and Build Something That Lasts — A Conversation with Neal Mayo

On this episode, Matt sits down with Neal Mayo — a career Army leader who spent decades in command before answering a call to serve with Samaritan's Purse, now leading North American disaster relief operations. Neal and Matt dig into what it actually looks like to set your priorities on purpose instead of letting the calendar set them for you, why loving and caring for people has to come before results, and how trusting that God has a plan for all of us changes the way you lead. It's a conversation about building something that outlasts a title or a career — service that sticks around long after you've moved on.

Topics: Priorities, people-first leadership, calling, service, disaster relief, faith and purpose

Teach them to fish, feed their family for life.

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

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Edward Graham attended Liberty University before transferring to West Point; commissioned into Field Artillery, then Infantry, then the Rangers; 16 years in the Army with multiple combat deployments in Special Operations leadership roles, including Afghanistan; felt called to leave the Army in winter 2018 and join Samaritan’s Purse; now serves as COO, overseeing international and domestic operations. Married to Kristy 20 years, four kids, family lives in the NC mountains.

Ed has been on the ground repeatedly in 2025–26 for the Central Texas / Kerr County flash floods (80+ lives lost). He’s also led Samaritan’s Purse response to the Ukraine war (met with President Zelenskyy on aid delivery, traveled to Ukraine with former VP Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo), the 2023 Turkey earthquake, and the 2021 Mayfield, KY tornado.

He’s used a signature line before (at a Liberty University convocation): “If you want to be part of a miracle, you’ve got to get out of the boat. I need courageous people who are willing to get out of the boat.” 

Core Meaning

• The Boat: Represents safety, routine, and predictable comfort.
• The Water: Represents risk, the unknown, and potential failure.
• The Miracle: Represents achieving something extraordinary by overcoming fear.

Key Takeaways

• Comfort kills growth: Security often stops us from reaching our full potential.
• Risk is required: High rewards demand facing the fear of the unknown.
• Action breeds results: You cannot experience a breakthrough by staying a spectator.

If you are facing a big decision right now, We can help you think through your next steps. Let us know:

• What specific choice or "boat" are you considering leaving?
• What is the biggest risk holding you back?
• What does your ideal outcome look like?

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

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Manny Lamson has been tested in some of the highest-stakes environments the military has to offer — as a SERE instructor, as a B-1 Weapons Systems Officer, and now as OIC of RAD rucking and an alum of Soldiers to Sidelines. In this conversation, Matt and Manny dig into what actually separates people who perform under pressure from those who fold: not more skill, but more conviction. They cover the jump from survival instruction to combat aviation, what it takes to instill belief in people you're leading through something brutal, the wake-up call that shifted Manny from "a dad who was" to a dad who leads by example, and his no-excuses take on health — pushing back hard on blaming biology instead of fixing sleep, diet, alcohol, and screen time. This one's a masterclass in closing the gap between what you know you should do and actually doing it.

Guest Bio
Manny Lamson (@mannymustache) — B-1 Weapons Systems Officer, former SERE instructor, OIC of RAD rucking, Soldiers to Sidelines alum.

Connect
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🔗 teachmetofish.buzzsprout.com

Key themes include:

• Leadership Philosophy (1:34:35 - 1:36:20, 1:47:21 - 1:48:07): Manny outlines four core leadership principles:
  1. Lead by example in everything you do.
  2. Be selfish to be selfless: Prioritizing your own health and discipline allows you to better serve and support others.
  3. Build relationships based on trust and care.
  4. Challenge yourself: Constantly get comfortable being uncomfortable to avoid complacency.
• Starting Over (1:05:03 - 1:06:00): Manny discusses the importance of approaching new chapters in life—whether a new unit, school, or career phase—with a "starting over" mindset. This allows leaders to be humble, learn from those around them, and remain open to new experiences.
• Health and Habits (1:12:43 - 1:17:22): Moving away from the common military excuse of being "too busy" for health, Manny emphasizes that fitness, nutrition, and discipline are essential habits. He advocates for prioritizing these over time rather than trying to achieve everything in a single week.
• The Power of Demonstration (1:23:05 - 1:26:00): The pair discusses how true leadership goes beyond simply demonstrating the right way to act; it requires active engagement to build deep trust with followers, which can then be leveraged to inspire them to grow.

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

Can you really talk someone into belief? Retired Army strategist Jared Wilson shares how he’s come to think about building a team that runs without you—conviction first, talent second—plus why a lot of “transformation” is really just modernization, why the words we use matter more than we admit, and how to use AI honestly. 

This episode, titled "#82 Building a Team of True Believers," features a deep conversation between the creator, Matthew Leclair, and his guest, Jared Wilson, focusing on leadership, team building, and the concept of "true believers." 

The best teams are not assembled by gathering the most impressive individual résumés and assigning them work. They are built in two deliberate movements. First, identify and recruit true believers—people who genuinely share the vision, goal, purpose, mission, and desired outcome. Second, organize those believers according to their distinct talents and abilities so that each contributes where they are strongest to achieving that shared end. Conviction is the qualifying condition for membership; talent is the logic of arrangement. Reverse the order—arrange by talent first and hope belief follows—and the team becomes a collection of capable people pulling in incompatible directions. 

The leader’s first responsibility is not to issue tasks but to articulate a vision compelling enough that the right people choose to believe in it, and to recruit selectively against that belief rather than against credentials alone. The second is diagnostic: to see clearly what each believer is best at and to place them there. Recruiting for conviction is slower and more discriminating than staffing for availability, and it will feel inefficient to any organization that measures itself by how quickly seats are filled. But a team of true believers, each working at the height of their talent toward one shared outcome, is the only configuration that reliably produces results no directive could have compelled. Assemble the believers first; arrange the talent second; and the team will pursue the outcome as if it were their own—because, by then, it is.

Key Concepts in Leadership

• True Believers: The speakers define a "true believer" as someone who has fully internalized a vision, transforming it into their own subconscious driver for their daily work (7:56 - 8:22). They emphasize that you cannot simply talk people into belief; it requires inspiration and a genuine shared vision (1:18:42 - 1:19:06).
• The Foundation of Virtues: Jared Wilson discusses how he grounds his leadership in the four Stoic virtues—prudence, justice, temperance, and courage—which serve as a compass for his decision-making (1:16 - 2:07, 42:03 - 42:55).
• Incremental Change: The importance of small, consistent steps is a recurring theme. Rather than trying to change everything at once, leaders should focus on small victories that lead to long-term transformation (1:31:34 - 1:32:02, 2:00:03 - 2:00:26).

Practical Systems for Team Alignment

The conversation highlights five specific tools used for communication and alignment within their team, categorized into internal and external functions:

1. Standups: Used to check the daily focus of team members and ensure alignment with the "North Star" (1:38:40 - 1:47:00).
2. Scrum Sessions: Facilitate cross-talk and help refine the team's approach and vision (1:38:40 - 1:47:48).
3. After-Action Reviews (AARs): Essential for capturing key takeaways and maintaining improvement (1:38:48).
4. Situation Reports (SitReps): Used to highlight what is worth attention for leaders and higher headquarters (1:39:13, 1:49:00).
5. Trifolds: Small, concise documents that clearly articulate who the organization is, its purpose, and its value proposition (1:39:31, 1:49:30).

Additional Topics

• Human Connection: The speakers discuss the necessity of face-to-face interaction over remote work, noting that deep team bonds and identifying stress in others are best achieved through physical presence (2:16:23 - 2:18:00).
• The Role of AI: Toward the end, they discuss how they are beginning to incorporate AI tools into their workflow, research, and podcast production to manage their vast collection of data and past discussions more effectively (2:31:24 - 2:34:40).

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462

Let us know what you are think about this episode here. 💬 Text here.

This video, titled "Lead well today," focuses on leadership, personal development, and the importance of daily habits. The speaker shares insights gained from military service and professional experiences to encourage leaders to maximize their time and influence.

Key themes include:

• Intentional Time Management: The speaker emphasizes that how and with whom we spend our time are the most critical daily decisions, as time cannot be reclaimed (0:05).
• Leadership Philosophy: Good leadership involves empowering others. The speaker recounts a formative experience where a commander supported their ambition to deploy, emphasizing that a leader should prioritize getting their people to where they want to be (0:49 - 1:43).
• The Power of Small Actions: Greatness is not achieved through flashiness, but by consistently doing ordinary, small things with excellence (3:04 - 3:43).
• Accountability and Teamwork: Drawing from personal anecdotes, the speaker highlights that effective teams function like a team of horses—if one isn't pulling, the load doesn't move. Leaders must maintain standards and refuse to walk past mistakes (4:26 - 5:42).
• Training and Adversity: The speaker argues that people do not simply "rise to the occasion" under pressure. Instead, they revert to the level of their training, underscoring the necessity of preparation and discipline (6:18 - 6:37).

Why Teach Me to Fish? 

Catch someone a fish, feed them for a day. 
Teach them to fish, feed their family for life. 

Our purpose is to help Leaders better understand what drives People to serve. In any organization, the core of recruiting and retaining talent revolves around leadership. And not just average leadership, but motivated, values-based, inspirational leadership.  

Our Pursuit here is to get a little bit better every day. 

Progress = Small Victories and stacking habits.

Habits like Getting up early, working your butt off, learning something new, Being positive and Surrounding yourself with phenomenal People.  

 Thanks for investing some time for yourself and thinking about the kind of People and experiences in your life that inspire you to be the best version of yourself. 

I hope these conversations spark some ideas on what you can do to inspire People too.

Instagram Link - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ALde1yH5v/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 
Facebook Link - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553842772462