By: Paul Stewart
Effective leadership has never been more essential in an era of rapid change and complex challenges. Yet, according to TRIDIS Leadership, a consulting firm founded by three elite performers from diverse fields, we’re facing a crisis in leadership development that threatens the foundation of corporate culture – trust – which can no longer be ignored.
Andrew Pence, a retired Navy SEAL Captain; Jim Brogan, a former NBA player; and Dave Hubinger, a former senior Nestle executive, have joined forces to address this crisis. Their approach combines insights from military special operations, professional sports, and corporate America, embodying the disruptive spirit seen in companies like Tesla or Airbnb.
“There’s a significant gap between recognizing the need for leadership development and actually implementing it,” says Pence. He cites research showing that while the majority of businesses claim to value leadership development, only a small portion implement it company-wide. “People expect to be developed, and this type of underinvestment and unwillingness to do so, despite rhetoric to the contrary, undermines trust, leaving employees feeling isolated and undervalued with few options to professionally grow – ultimately resulting in low morale and high turnover.”
Brogan emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership, a trait increasingly valued in today’s workplace. “Caring is the ultimate competitive advantage,” he explains. “It’s what enables a leader to build a world-class team. Demonstrating that you care authentically is foundational to building trust and unlocking your team’s potential.”
Hubinger brings his corporate perspective, also stressing the importance of trust and integrity. He echos the commitment valued by companies like Costco, which is known to take exceptional care of its employees. “To me, the basis of leadership is trust,” he states. And you can apply this to yourself or anyone—if you do not trust someone, you’re not going to allow them to lead.”
The trio’s new book, “Bullets, Basketballs & Boardrooms,” shares their collective wisdom on leadership development. They argue that while leadership principles may be simple in concept, they are often difficult to develop and implement.
TRIDIS Leadership’s approach focuses on developing attributes such as emotional intelligence, ethical decision-making, crisis management, and disciplined prioritization. They believe that by combining lessons from their diverse backgrounds, they can offer a more comprehensive and nuanced approach to leadership development. Pence emphasizes, “Each client has different needs; therefore, off-the-shelf solutions are a non-starter—when striving for excellence, every engagement must be customized.”
Pence draws a parallel between military strategy and business leadership: “Leaders need to appreciate crises as something distinct and different and not simply rely on routine leadership habits or problem-solving approaches.” This adaptive mindset is crucial for navigating the complexities and pace of modern leadership challenges, much like how disruptive businesses must constantly innovate to stay ahead.
Brogan adds insight on resilience, a key trait for leaders in disruptive industries: “Success is in the struggle. Success always has been and always will be in the struggle. Avoiding it, not going through it, and thinking it shouldn’t happen to you makes the struggle more intense.”
Hubinger concludes with a thought on the challenges of leadership: “Setbacks and struggles happen to everyone, but if you have ambitious goals, they will be frequent and intense – the level of resilience needed is directly proportionate to how ambitious your goals are.”
As organizations grapple with developing the next generation of leaders in an increasingly disruptive business landscape, TRIDIS Leadership offers a fresh approach by combining best practices from three elite disciplines. Their message is clear: effective leadership can be taught, but it requires commitment, authenticity, and a willingness to learn from diverse perspectives – qualities that are essential in today’s rapidly changing business world.
If you want to learn more about the TRIDIS team, you can reach them at tridisleadership.com.
