10 Jesse Gemberling-Johnson - US Marine Corps Officer, Chief Talent Officer, Husband and Father

Summary Jesse Gemberling-Johnson shares his journey from childhood in Philadelphia to enlisting in the Marine Corps. He discusses his experiences in officer training, deployments to Southeast Asia, Afghanistan, and Australia, and the challenges and rewards of serving in combat zones. Jesse also talks about his transition from the military to civilian life, highlighting the need to consider personal strengths and interests when choosing a career path. He shares his experience in commercial construction management and the blend of white-collar and blue-collar work that he found fulfilling. Jesse emphasizes the interdependent relationship between different roles in the construction industry and the importance of building strong relationships in the workplace. Additionally, Jesse discusses his experiences transitioning from the military to the construction industry and his journey to becoming a leader in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC). He also emphasizes the value of understanding human dynamics in team settings and the importance of finding balance in construction. Jesse highlights veterans' non-technical skills in the civilian sector and the challenges in effectively leveraging these skills, as well as his career wins, including establishing a veteran hiring initiative in his company. ➡︎ The VWB show is sponsored by: https://jet.build/ Mentions in This Video Jesse's Info: ➡︎ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessegj-leveraginghumancapital/ ➡︎ Jesse's Dissertation: https://repository.upenn.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/08740453-d43d-4a38-98c0-cb3bb9138cea/content ➡︎ Business: https://mcfaglobal.com/ ➡︎ Nonprofit: https://www.fishforlife.org/donate-to-our-cause/ ➡︎ Books: - Mindfulness, Ellen Langer: https://amzn.to/45vMY3M (amazon) - Hidden Potential, Adam Grant: https://amzn.to/4c9FYfj (amazon) Subscribe To Our Podcast Here ➡︎ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKONY1n1qysTx2RiBiwj28QzLc8gI2oui ➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZizGddgHgKA4oimoLkNRc?si=cd7c0afd6b064292 ➡︎ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3Vt3rCE ➡︎ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vwbshow/ ➡︎ X: https://twitter.com/TheVWBShow ➡︎ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamstark512/ ➡︎ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veterans-who-build ➡︎ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veteranswhobuild/ The Veterans Who Build Show ➡︎ At VWB, we are on a mission to provide a platform for Veterans to share their story, empower others for success, transition from Military to civilian to profession, chat translatable skills, professional and personal wins, and all things Built Environment The VWB Show Sponsors ➡︎ The VWB show is sponsored by @jetbuild ➡︎ Jet.Build is THE central command for RE development and construction project management software. Solutions range from project finance to stakeholder collaboration, construction operations, and data reporting with AI. Jet.Build is the better way to build Timecodes / Chapters 00:00 Intro and Background 03:39 Childhood and Decision to Enlist 07:39 Joining the Marine Corps 13:37 Officer Training and Deployments 20:45 Deployment to Afghanistan 24:57 Deployment to Australia 30:35 Conclusion and Reflections 38:04 Mental State in Combat 41:35 Transitioning to Civilian Life 48:05 Finding Purpose and Passion 58:44 Sense of Urgency in the Civilian World 01:01:11 Transitioning to Commercial Construction 01:07:31 Importance of Relationships in the Workplace 01:11:07 Finding Balance in Construction 01:12:13 The Value of Understanding Human Dynamics 01:13:12 Studying Organizational Dynamics 01:14:22 Leveraging Non-Technical Skills of Veterans 01:15:08 Challenges in Hiring Veterans 01:16:17 Non-Technical Skills of Veterans 01:17:18 Organizational Engagement Drivers 01:18:19 Creating a People-Based Work Design 01:20:32 Career Wins: DOD to AEC Initiative 01:32:58 Wellness Practice: Sobriety and Physical Fitness 01:41:39 Book Recommendations