During his 31-year military career, Waldo served in Kosovo and Iraq and worked at NORAD and USNORTHCOM- he also flew with the Royal Canadian Air Force air demonstration team the Snowbirds. Do you need to spend more time discussing the “what ifs” of your plan? How can you find ways to continue to serve after an illustrious military career? What can civilian leaders learn from the military? And vice versa? Waldo, Cam, and Otis dive into all this and much more on this awesome episode!
More About Waldo:
My name is Rob “Waldo” Martin, and most recently, I was the Vice President / Chief of Staff of the Boettcher Foundation, providing strategic thought partnership to the President & CEO and the Board of Trustees. I also managed the Foundation’s day-to-day operations and maintained oversight of finance, programs, and communications. Before transitioning to the private sector, I gained global leadership experience in operations, team development, policy advising, and strategy formulation during a 31-year military career. My last assignment was at NORAD and USNORTHCOM, where I served as a strategic advisor to the Commander and as Chief of Staff, Operations Division. In the latter role, I directed multiple interagency teams, coordinating aerospace security operations for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and counter-terrorism cooperation initiatives with multiple international defense partners. A former fighter pilot, I participated in Operation Allied Force (Kosovo) and Operation Iraqi Freedom. I also commanded an international flying training squadron in a public-private partnership with Bombardier Aerospace and CAE Inc. After retiring from the Royal Canadian Air Force, I served as a senior program manager at a Fortune 50 aerospace company, leading a cross-functional team in the marketing and development of the Advance Concept Ejection Seat 5, securing over $600M in business. Originally from Canada, I moved to Colorado in 2014 and became a U.S. citizen in 2019. I hold a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from Carleton University and am pursuing a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership at The Johns Hopkins University (graduating May 2024). Outside work, I am passionate about hockey, fly fishing, and organic gardening. My wife and I reside in Colorado Springs with her son and our two German shepherds. I firmly believe in the importance of leadership and guest lecture on the topic at several higher education institutions.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertmartin719/
Chapters
0:04 – Intro
4:08 – Lessons from Flying
8:15 – What If
15:24 – Individual Talents
24:29 – Service After the Military
29:34 – Seasons of Life
35:41 – What Civilian Leaders Lack
41:49 – Academic Lessons for Military Leaders
49:00 – Close
