184. Nick O’Sullivan; Leadership Lessons from the Marines: Finding Opportunity in Every Situation

Nick O'Sullivan, is the Co-founder and MD of Mojave Training, a leadership and management training business. https://www.mojavetraining.co.uk/

Nick spent 13 years in the Marines, including four years in the special forces. 

Specialising as an information systems officer, his military career alternated between technical support and operational roles.  In 2015 he designed and delivered a large scale, multi-national training event for which he was awarded an MBE for his services to Defence.  But his career was certainly not all high points, and he faced a number of challenging experiences to get there, from a couple of near-death experiences to toxic leadership.

 

Nick emphasizes the importance of moral courage in leadership and personal development. He believes in looking inwardly and being honest about strengths and weaknesses.

Nick discusses the importance of belonging and being part of a team in the military. He highlights the need for leaders to lead by example and practice what they preach. Nick mentions the power of small interactions and gestures in leadership. He encourages finding opportunities in every situation, even in difficult times.

Nick shares his experience of combat deployments in Afghanistan.  He talks about the mindset and positive attitude required in challenging situations.

Nick now works with small and medium enterprises, providing leadership and management support.