#0025 - Garry Banford - Discreet & Humble: British Special Forces

Summary Gary Banford, a former British Royal Marine and Sergeant Major of the SBS unit, shares his experience in the special forces and the selection process. He discusses the discreet nature of the SBS and the challenges they face. He also talks about the importance of mindset and determination in completing the selection process. Gary reflects on his deployments and the relentless cycle of operations after 9/11. Garry Banford discusses the challenges of military life and the transition to civilian entrepreneurship. He highlights the relentless cycle of operations and deployments in the military, as well as the burden placed on special operations forces. Garry also shares his decision to leave the military and start a coaching and mentoring business, focusing on mindset and resilience. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling and sharing experiences in both the military and business world. Garry also discusses the struggle of self-promotion as an entrepreneur and the value of having a business partner with complementary skills. In this conversation, Garry Banford discusses the importance of self-awareness and effective communication in leadership. He emphasizes the need for leaders to recognize their weaknesses and seek help when necessary. Garry also highlights the value of creating psychological safety within teams and the benefits of debriefing and after-action reviews. He shares his experiences working with senior leaders and the importance of building a community where leaders can learn from and support each other. Garry's goal for the next five years is to maintain a balance between his work and family life while continuing to make a positive impact through coaching and community building. Show Links Get 1-month of FREE access to the ⁠Vet Collective Community⁠ by using discount code: NLT1UQTI Join us here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.collective.vet⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for our Weekly Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.collective.vet⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on LinkedIn: ⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/harder-not-smarter/⁠ Episodes also available on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon Music. https://linktr.ee/harder_not_smarter Garry's Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/garry-banford-640286111/ https://www.duratusuk.com/ https://www.duratusuk.com/coach-profile/garry-banford Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Gary Banford and the SBS 03:02 Joining the Military and Special Forces 11:24 The Foundation of Basic Skills and Determination 25:43 Intense and Relentless Deployments in Special Forces 31:11 The Challenges of Military Life and Transitioning to Entrepreneurship 36:37 The Decision to Leave the Military and Start a Coaching Business 52:26 Overcoming the Struggle of Self-Promotion 57:50 The Power of Storytelling and Sharing Experiences 01:03:25 The Value of a Complementary Business Partner 01:05:55 Self-Awareness and Effective Communication in Leadership 01:10:33 Creating Psychological Safety within Teams 01:13:47 The Value of Debriefing and After-Action Reviews 01:19:17 Building a Community of Leaders 01:28:20 Finding Balance: Work and Family Life 01:33:19 Making a Positive Impact through Coaching and Community Building Sound Bites "The British special forces, including the SBS, have a reputation for being discreet and humble." "Joining the military and special forces often stems from a desire for adventure and personal challenge." "The Marines and Royal Marines provide a foundation of basic skills and a mindset of determination." "It was a big family decision to leave the military, specifically to see my children more." "If there's one skill you could cultivate, it would be self-awareness."