How do you stay connected to people when you’re responsible for 435,000 of them?

On the latest Long Blue Leadership, Gen. Steven “Spock” Nordhaus ’89, chief of the National Guard Bureau, shares lessons from a lifetime of service, from flying F-16s to serving on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Hear his thoughts on mentorship, trust, resilience, family and why leaders should focus on getting 1% better every day.

1. Lead through service. Put the mission, your team, your community and your family before yourself; Gen. Nordhaus sees service as the foundation of his leadership approach.
2. Treat mentorship as an everyday responsibility. Look for opportunities to guide others while staying open to learning from them in return.
3. Build trust through presence. Get out among your people, learn their stories and see firsthand what they need to do their jobs well.
4. Listen, then act on practical needs. His walkabouts helped him identify problems — like poor facilities — and work with the team to address them.
5. Bring the whole team together to solve problems. Nordhaus describes optimism not as empty positivity, but as believing people can work together to find a solution.
6. Keep moving forward through adversity. When challenges arise, bring in teammates, work through the problem and persevere.
7. Recognize that leadership is a team effort. Strong results come from integrating people with different roles, skills and perspectives.
8. Be humble, approachable and credible. Treat people as individuals, greet them and stay curious about what you can learn from them.
9. Take care of families as well as service members. Gen. Nordhaus emphasizes that supporting families is essential to supporting the people who serve.
10. Improve consistently and act on what matters today. Check in on your priorities, aim to get a little better each day and make a list of what needs to be done — then do it.

00:00:00 — Gen. Nordhaus and the National Guard’s Mission
Gen. Steven Nordhaus describes leading the National Guard and its roles in homeland defense, global operations, disaster response and international partnerships.

00:03:29 — Growing Up in Ottawa and Discovering Aviation
Gen. Nordhaus reflects on his family’s values and how flying with his uncle inspired him to pursue a career as an Air Force pilot.

00:06:04 — The Mentor Who Guided His Path to the Air Force
He shares how retired Maj. Don Schmenk helped him see a path to becoming a fighter pilot and remained a source of guidance throughout his career.

00:08:13 — Mentorship as an Everyday Leadership Practice
Gen. Nordhaus explains how he learned from his mentor and now makes a point of mentoring service members and aspiring leaders.

00:10:13 — Hurricane Andrew and Resilience Through Adversity
He recalls the hurricane’s destruction of his home and base and the lesson that tough times can be overcome by moving forward.

00:13:20 — From F-16 Wingman to Joint-Team Leader
Gen. Nordhaus describes how fighter-pilot experience helped him appreciate teamwork and the integration of military services and partners.

00:16:02 — Choosing the National Guard and Continuing to Serve
He explains why he joined the Guard to keep flying, serve near family, and pursue opportunities in both military and civilian aviation.

00:18:26 — Civilian Skills as a National Guard Force Multiplier
Gen. Nordhaus highlights how Guard members bring expertise from civilian careers into military service, strengthening their units and the nation.

00:21:17 — Building Trust Through Presence and Personal Connection
He describes using walkabouts, listening to service members, and helping address practical needs to build trust and unit pride.

00:27:14 — Supporting Military Families and Practicing Self-Care
Gen. Nordhaus discusses the importance of caring for service members’ families and maintaining his own health through exercise and outdoor activities.

00:32:15 — Getting 1% Better Every Day
He shares how regular check-ins, reading and attention to physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being support continuous improvement.

00:34:05 — Nordhaus’s Leadership SOP: Service, Optimism and Passion
He explains how service guides his leadership, optimism helps teams solve problems, and passion brings energy to the mission.

00:38:34 — Leadership Lessons, Perseverance, and Guaranteed Success
Gen. Nordhaus offers advice on teamwork, humility, resilience and taking action, closing with a story about making a list of what needs to be done and doing it.

Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus ’89 serves as the 30th chief of the National Guard Bureau and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this role, he serves as a military adviser to the president, secretary of War and National Security Council, while overseeing the readiness and capabilities of more than 430,000 Army and Air National Guard personnel. A 1989 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Gen. Nordhaus has spent more than three decades serving in operational, command and strategic leadership positions across the Air Force and National Guard.

A command pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours, Gen. Nordhaus has flown combat missions in Operations Southern Watch, Vigilant Warrior, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. His career includes commanding the Ohio Air National Guard's 180th Fighter Wing, leading the Air National Guard Readiness Center and serving as commander of First Air Force and the Continental U.S. NORAD Region. Throughout his career, he has helped lead missions spanning homeland defense, global military operations and the development of combat-ready forces.