From The Green Notebook

Send us Fan Mail Shawn Coyne has spent decades in the publishing business working with some of the biggest names in news, sports, and entertainment.  In this episode, he shares the numerous lessons he's learned throughout his successful career to include the pitfalls of seeking external validation and why doing so doesn't lead to happiness. He also talks about starting fresh, leaving an...

Send us Fan Mail Brett McKay sits down with Joe to share the story behind why he started The Art of Manliness website and how the site grew from a hobby to a full-time job for both him and his wife Kate. He also discusses the importance of focusing on family culture and shares weekly family events that he and Kate use to be intentional with their family life. 

Send us Fan Mail The CEO of LEADx and author of Great Leaders Have No Rules , Kevin Kruse discusses contrarian leadership principles that many leaders overlook.  Kevin and Joe talk about the downsides of having an open door policy, the problem with leaders wanting to be liked,  and the pitfalls of leaders valuing being bullet proof over being vulnerable. They also discuss why standards are more im...

Send us Fan Mail Professor Nancy Sherman has spent decades working with military leaders on ethics, PTSD, moral injury, and suicide prevention. In this episode, she explains how an ancient philosophy can help service members and first responders work through traumatic experiences. She also discusses why community is so important for developing resiliency and grit, and finally, why we all should tr...

Send us Fan Mail Joe sits down with Sebastian Junger to discuss his latest book, Freedom , and examine what this word means in modern society. In discussing the book, Junger recounts his 400-mile journey along east coast railroad lines while dodging police officers, sleeping under bridges, and walking through tough neighborhoods. They also talk about why combat deployments are such a powerful forc...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Micah Zenko, author of Red Team: How to Succeed By Thinking Like the Enemy , explains why red teaming is an important practice for any organization. Joe and Micah discuss organizational blindspots, the best practices for finding them, and how red teamers can provide constructive feedback. Additionally, Micah shares techniques for leaders to become better critical thinkers.   

Send us Fan Mail Retired Army Lieutenant General and former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster explains why military leaders need to study the past to gain clarity in the present and also shares a career worth of lessons to include why the Battle of 73 Easting taught him about the importance of tough, realistic training. Finally, he spends a few minutes talking about the mindset he adopted be...

Send us Fan Mail Recently retired naval aviator Jack “Farva” Curtis shares his thoughts on the importance of culture and why diversity of thought is needed to create winning teams. Additionally, he discusses the benefits of flattening organizations and reflects on why leaders should study ideas outside their area of expertise. Jack's written several widely read articles over the years to incl...

Send us Fan Mail Joe sits down with 2x Super Bowl Champion and former NFL place kicker Lawrence Tynes to discuss the lessons he learned over the course of his NFL career. Tynes emphasizes the importance of preparation when being called upon to perform in high pressure situations. He explains why a team's culture is more important than the talent in the locker room. Lawrence also passes along...

Send us Fan Mail General Miller talks about the lessons he's learned over the past 38 years of service. He discusses crucible moments that shaped him, including a firefight in Mogadishu in October 1993 where he served as the assault force commander. He also shares how these crucible moments have influenced him as the current commander of forces in Afghanistan and for his latest undertaking, p...

Send us Fan Mail The team sits down with Donald Robertson, author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius . Robertson explains the origins of the philosophy,  why Stoicism has survived for the last 2300 years, and it's useful for leaders today. 

Send us Fan Mail The team sits down with P.W. Singer to discuss his latest book, Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution . He dives into some of the technologies from the book, the difference between useful fiction and science fiction, and why he says useful fiction is like a smoothie packed full of intellectual vitamins.     

Send us Fan Mail Joe interviews the head coach for the Missouri Tigers football team, Eliah Drinkwitz. Coach Drinkwitz discusses his approach coming into a new football program and cautions against the one mistake that leaders can make that will quickly erode trust. He also shares some practical advice on communication, avoiding the trappings of ego, and investing in players on and off the field....

Send us Fan Mail Joe talks with Walter Isaacson about his newest book The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race . Walter explains the science behind gene editing and the ethical and scientific implications for humans. They also discuss the importance of remaining curious and many of the other lessons Walter has learned writing books to include Leonardo da Vi...

Send us Fan Mail Joe interviews WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page about his wrestling career, the work required to become an eight-year “overnight success,” and the role others played in helping him rise to the top of his profession. Dallas and Joe also discuss the importance of fitness and the benefits of Dallas’ personal fitness program: DDP YOGA.

Send us Fan Mail Joe sits down with retired Air Force Colonel Merryl Tengsdal to discuss piloting the famed U2 spy plane. There are less than 1500 qualified pilots since the program’s inception in 1955, and he shares her experiences as the only African American woman in its ranks.  She also discusses her debut as a contestant on Season 2 of CBS’ Tough as Nails which airs Wednesday Nights

Send us Fan Mail Joe sits down with Michelle Hughes and Valerie Nostrant, a mother and daughter who share a legacy of service in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. The pair discusses their outlook on leadership and life in the Army and what it's like for them to share the bond of service.  

Send us Fan Mail The team sits down with author Steven Pressfield to discuss his newest book, A Man at Arms . In addition to providing a peek into the ancient world, Pressfield shares his thoughts how leaders can overcome Resistance to lead with the best version of themselves. If you are a fan of Gates of Fire and The War of Art, you won't want to miss this episode! 

Send us Fan Mail Joe and Jacob dive into the green notebook of retired Army General Stanley McChrystal. He discusses how his time out of the Army has further shaped his thoughts on leadership and what major life lesson he's learned since the publication of the infamous Rolling Stone article in 2010. 

Send us Fan Mail Joe and Jacob sit down with Dr. Kori Schake, the Director of Defense and Foreign Policy Studies at American Enterprise Institute, a D.C.-based think tank. She shares her story about climbing the ladder in the National Security field and some of the more prominent lessons of her career. Kori  discusses what she means when she challenges leaders to “read promiscuously” and how leade...

Send us Fan Mail Joe and Jacob sit down with organizational psychologist, David Burkus to learn how to have better meetings. He is the best-selling author of four books about business and leadership. His insights on leadership and teamwork have been featured in the Wall Street Journal , Harvard Business Review , USAToday , Fast Company , the Financial Times , Bloomberg BusinessWeek , CNN , the BBC...

Send us Fan Mail Joe and Jacob sit down with the Outgoing Director of the Army Talent Management Task Force to discuss the Commander Assessment Program. Major General JP McGee talks about the genesis of the program, the results and trends over the last two years, and talks about how his outlook on talent has changed in the process.

Send us Fan Mail Jacob and Joe discuss leadership lessons with MajGen Frank Donovan, Commander of 2nd Marine Division. During the discussion, MajGen Donovan reflects on the importance of not giving up, when your military career takes an unexpected turn. The team also talks about why leaders need to be willing to have difficult conversations in their organizations.

Send us Fan Mail Jacob and Joe talk with Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers about leadership, authenticity, and managing relationships while touring the world or deployed in the military. Wesley also talks about how a family member’s addiction has affected him and provides advice for those who are going through similar struggles.

Send us Fan Mail General Joseph Votel (U.S. Army, Ret.) provides a candid discussion on the challenges of strategic decision-making and risk management. He also emphasizes the importance of role modeling in leadership, highlighting some of the role models who shaped his career.