From The Green Notebook

• Breaking the Myth of the Charismatic Leader with Sam Walker

  Send us a textThe FTGN Merch Store is Live!! Help Support the site with official FTGN Gear!In this episode, Joe welcomes Sam Walker, author of The Captain Class: A New Theory of Leadership, to dive into the world of leadership and team dynamics. Sam shares the surprising insights from his 11 years of research, studying over 25,000 teams since the 1880s, to uncover what truly makes teams great and sustains their success.Together, they explore the counterintuitive behaviors and traits that separate extraordinary leaders from the rest, challenging many traditional notions of leadership. Whether you’re leading in sports, business, or the military, this episode is packed with practical lessons for creating and sustaining high-performing teams. Sam and Joe discuss:The seven key traits that define elite captains and sustain team success.Why leadership isn’t about talent, charisma, or speeches, but about behaviors.The concept of “carrying the water” and why great leaders often work in the background.How to regulate emotions and use them effectively to inspire and guide your team.Why strong team cultures are essential, and how to ensure people thrive within them.The importance of being “relentlessly boring” to conserve energy for what matters most.How these principles apply to military, business, and other high-stakes environments.Tune in to hear how you can redefine leadership, uncover your team’s hidden potential, and apply Sam’s “cheat codes” to create lasting success in your own organization.Sam Walker is an author, keynote speaker, and strategist who helps organizations strengthen their leadership selection and development practices, build stronger cultures, and create more cohesive and enduringly successful teams.He has worked with a Super Bowl-winning NFL franchise, several high-achieving national, Olympic and NCAA-champion sports teams, a national law enforcement agency, elite U.S. military special forces units, one of the world’s largest money managers, one of the world’s leading surgical hospitals, one of the world’s largest media companies and the commanding officers of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. His most recent book, The Captain Class, is a meticulous analysis of effective leadership based on the traits of the captains who led the 17 most dominant teams in sports history. The book has become a cult classic, beloved by men and women worldwide who apply its principles to leading and building teams. A special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Exray a veteran-owned apparel brand elevating the custom gear experience. Exray provides free design services and creates dedicated web stores for units.Onebrief, the transformative software platform redefining operational planning and military staff workflows.

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• The Science of Better Conversations with Alison Wood Brooks

  Send us a textThe FTGN Merch Store is Live!! Help Support the site with official FTGN Gear!In this episode, Joe welcomes Harvard professor and author Alison Wood Brooks to discuss her groundbreaking book, Talk: The Science and Art of Being Ourselves. Together, they explore the science behind conversations and how they shape our personal and professional lives.Alison introduces her TALK framework—Topics, Asking, Levity, Kindness—providing actionable strategies to improve communication. She shares why talking can feel so cognitively demanding, the myth of natural charisma, and how intentional choices can lead to deeper, more meaningful connections.Joe and Alison discuss practical tools like navigating the "topic pyramid," creating psychological safety in group settings, and the surprising power of levity. They also highlight the art of mastering conversations in both everyday life and professional environments.Whether you’re a leader, a friend, or simply someone wanting to communicate better, this episode offers invaluable insights for connecting with others and being authentically yourself.Dr. Alison Wood Brooks is the O’Brien Associate Professor of Business Administration and Hellman Faculty Fellow at the Harvard Business School, where she created and teaches a course called TALK. As a behavioral scientist, she is a leading expert on the science of conversation. Her award-winning research has been published in top academic journals and is regularly cited in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and NPR. Her research was referenced in two of the top ten most-viewed TED talks of all time and depicted in Pixar’s Inside Out 2. In 2021, she was named a Best 40 Under 40 Business School Professor by Poets & Quants. "TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves" is her first book.A special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Exray a veteran-owned apparel brand elevating the custom gear experience. Exray provides free design services and creates dedicated web stores for units.Onebrief, the transformative software platform redefining operational planning and military staff workflows

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  1:07:32
• Leading with Purpose: A Conversation with Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth

  Send us a textThe FTGN Merch Store is Live!! Help Support the site with official FTGN Gear!The 25th Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth joins Joe for a candid conversation about leadership, self-awareness, and the evolving challenges of guiding the largest branch of the U.S. military. With over three decades of experience in national security, she shares her expectations for Army leaders, the importance of self-development, and why critical thinking and communication skills are essential for success at the highest levels.Secretary Wormuth also highlights her strong support for the Army’s Command Assessment Program (CAP), emphasizing early self-development, the power of feedback, and the role of humility and reflection in building resilient leadership teams. She also stresses the importance of maintaining the Army's apolitical stance, fostering public trust, and ensuring continuity through times of change.Topics Covered:The key attributes of effective Army leadersThe role of the Command Assessment Program in shaping leadershipWhy feedback and reflection are crucial for personal growthBalancing professional and personal priorities over a long careerWhy military leaders need to remain apolitical and be non-combatants in the culture warsHonorable Christine Wormuth was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and appointed as the 25th Secretary of the U.S. Army May 28, 2021. The Secretary of the Army is the senior civilian official within the Department of Defense responsible for all matters relating to the U.S. Army.Prior to confirmation, she was the Director of the International Defense and Security Center at the RAND Corporation where she was a frequent writer and speaker on foreign policy, national security and homeland security issues.Prior to RAND, she served in several roles during the Obama Administration. From December 2010 until August 2012 she was a special assistant to the president and senior director for Defense at the National Security Council. Wormuth then served as deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Forces, and led the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review. From 2014-2016 she served in DOD as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, where she advised the Secretary of Defense on the full range of regional and functional national security issues.Wormuth entered the government as a Presidential Management Intern and began her public service career in the Policy Office of the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 1996 through 2002. After leaving government, she worked in the private sector on defense issues, and then was a Senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies for five years. A special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Exray a veteran-owned apparel brand elevating the custom gear experience. Exray provides free design services and creates dedicated web stores for units.Onebrief, the transformative software platform redefining operational planning and military staff workflows

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  1:05:09
• Rich McGuinness- More Than A Game: Lessons on Character and Legacy

  Send us a textThe FTGN Merch Store is Live!! Help Support the site with official FTGN Gear!Joe sits down with Rich McGuinness, the visionary founder of the U.S Army Bowl, to discuss how football is more than just a game—it’s a catalyst for building character, shaping lives, and creating lasting impact.Rich shares the inspiring journey of how he turned a bold idea into one of the nation’s most iconic high school football events, showcasing All-Americans from around the country and touching the lives of countless young athletes and their families.This conversation examines the power of team sports, highlighting how football provides opportunities for young athletes to learn values like teamwork, resilience, and hard work. Rich’s story is a testament to the power of vision, grit, and creating something that transcends the game itself. Some highlights from this episode include:The “500 balls a day” mindset and how it translates to life and leadershipThe origin story of the U.S Army Bowl and its impact on high school athletesHow hard work and focus can change the trajectory of your lifeLessons on building a legacy and embracing the unexpected challenges along the wayHow parents can best support their young athletesTune in for an inspiring conversation about how sports can shape lives and leave a legacy that goes far beyond the field.A special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Exray a veteran-owned apparel brand elevating the custom gear experience. Exray provides free design services and creates dedicated web stores for unitsMy favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here

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• J. Furman Daniel III- Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint

  Send us a textThe FTGN Merch Store is Live!! Help Support the site with official FTGN Gear!Joe Byerly sits down with Furman Daniel, author of Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint: The Remarkable Year That Made Winston Churchill. Together, they explore a transformative year in Churchill’s life—a time of political humiliation, personal reinvention, and the development of five life-changing gifts, including painting, friendship, and a modern perspective on warfare. Furman shares how Churchill’s resilience and adaptability during his darkest days laid the foundation for his iconic leadership during World War II.This conversation is packed with timeless insights on failure, perseverance, and finding restoration through personal passions, offering applicable lessons for leaders at all levels:Failure is a springboard for future success.Creative outlets restore energy and focus.Genuine friendships are invaluable during tough times.Presence builds trust and respect as a leader.Confidence balanced with humility fosters growth.Perseverance leads to breakthroughs over time.Stepping back provides clarity and perspective.Lifelong learning is essential for great leadership.And more!Join Joe and Furman for an inspiring discussion on turning setbacks into triumphs and what it means to stay in the fight when the odds are against you.Dr. John Furman Daniel III is an associate professor of political science at Concordia University. He has authored numerous publications on international relations theory, the influence of fiction on foreign policy decision-making, Edmund Burke, Carl von Clausewitz, George Patton, technology diffusion, space colonization and home-field advantage in Major League Baseball. His four books are 21st Century Patton: Strategic Insights for the Modern Era (2016), The First Space War: How Patterns of History and Principles of STEM Will Shape Its Form (2019), Patton: Battling with History (2020) and Blood, Mud and Oil Paint: The Remarkable Year that Made Winston Churchill (2024).A special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Exray a veteran-owned apparel brand elevating the custom gear experience. Exray provides free design services and creates dedicated web stores for unitsMy favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here

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