“I’m sure the other candidate checks all the boxes,” a veteran of the U.S. Navy SEALs told his final-round interviewer at a financial services company. “But here’s one thing I can tell you about me: There’s not a single situation that will occur at this business that will make me feel uncomfortable.” With that answer, the SEAL won himself a job, beating out a traditionally better-qualified candidate with an MBA from a leading business school.
Lessons on Leading Through Chaos from U.S. Special Operations
They’ve specifically trained for volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous situations.
November 11, 2020
Summary.
As the crises of 2020 wear on, the unique skills of our country’s Special Operations Forces (SOF) are becoming more and more valuable in the private sector. Their adaptability, excellent judgment, and wide range of training and experience makes SOF veterans well suited to lead in tumultuous times. Companies that want to succeed amid ongoing volatility should take example from the SOF community by seeking to be flexible, de-siloed, and focused on hiring for hard-to-teach skills like emotional intelligence. Interviews with some 20 veterans and coaches revealed the skills that this elite community can bring to American businesses.
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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Business Plan Development. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Learn how to create a winning business plan.