Long Blue Leadership:
Maj. Nathan Dial '10
Talking "The Talk," Walking the Leadership Walk
SUMMARY
Maj. Dial shares his journey from growing up in a military family to attending the Air Force Academy and becoming a leader in the Air Force. He emphasizes the importance of relationships, approachability, and accountability in leadership. He's kept his connection to the Academy through mentoring cadets and serving on the Association of Graduates board. He is continuously learning and contributing to the discourse through research and writing. Maj. Dial also discusses the challenges and responsibilities of leadership, including the need to practice what you preach and prioritize personal development, controlling the controllables and dealing with adversity. Finally, the conversation concludes with a discussion on whether leaders are born or made.
OUR FAVORITE QUOTES
"Relationships really matter. I think some of my successes would not be available without classmates or upperclassmen who poured into me or offered opportunities or offered help along the way."
"Control the controllables. And by that, I mean you control your energy, you control your attitude, you control your effort. And most importantly, you control how you respond to adversity."
"Don't be afraid to be vulnerable. Now, you can't be oversharing. But, you're going to know those spots where you can be vulnerable."
"I'm a big believer in that you need reps. I think to really hone your skills, your potential, I think you have to have some type of environment that nurtures that out of you."
"I think all the best leaders I saw, whether it was cadets or staff or faculty or AOCs, were all approachable and accountable."
- Major Nathan Dial '10
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00: Introduction and Background
01:32: Early Life and Influences
03:06: Choosing the Air Force Academy
05:04: Journey at the Academy
09:08: Leadership Development at the Academy
12:50: Staying Connected to the Academy
18:05: Leadership Principles
20:20: Giving Back to the Academy
24:06: Navigating Highs and Lows
27:40: Influence of Background on Leadership
29:37: Making Time for Others
34:06: Contributing to the Discourse
36:35: Challenges and Responsibility of Leadership
38:52: Practicing What You Preach
39:24: Personal Development and Growth
40:24: Balancing Personal Interests
41:00: Controlling the Controllables
42:18: Dealing with Adversity
43:20: The Talk: Passing Down Wisdom
OUR FAVORITE TAKEAWAYS
- Building strong relationships and treating people with respect are essential in leadership.
- Leaders should be approachable and accountable to foster trust and accomplish goals.
- Continuous learning and contributing to the discourse are important for personal and professional growth.
- Leaders have a responsibility to navigate challenges, practice what they preach, and prioritize their own development.
- Balance personal interests to maintain a well-rounded life.
- Control the controllables, including energy, attitude, effort, and response to adversity.
- Adversity can be a catalyst for growth and empathy.
- Passing down wisdom through 'The Talk' is an important tradition that evolves with time.
- Leaders are made through nurturing and developing their skills and experiences.
BIO
14-year Active-Duty Air Force Officer, Combat Pilot, PhD with a concentration on NATO in the 21st Century. Well-versed in qualitative and quantitative research of public policy and sports analytics. Interested in opportunities advising/helping think-tanks, startups, boards, and private companies analyze, break down, and solve complex problems.
US Air Force Academy 2010
Harvard Kennedy School MPP 2012
ENJJPT 2013
Northwestern Political Science, Ph.D. 2021
ASG Rising Leader 2022
EC-130 Pilot
RC-135 Pilot
Facebook: Nathan Dial | Twitter: therealnatedial | Instagram: dial_like_thesoap | Linkedin: Nathan Dial