Former Police Chief Explains What Real Leadership Looks Like w/ Mike Villa @ Port of Seattle

Today on the podcast I have a very unique guest. Mike Villa is not only the Retired Chief of Police at the Port of Seattle Police Department, he is also – unfortunately for him – my Father.Now at the time of this recording Mike was planning to launch his own start up called Villa Consultancy where he would help leaders develop high-functioning teams and successful organizations. I wanted to have him on because that’s such a critical skill for every founder to have.We talk aboutThe Marine Corps Leadership Mistake That Changed Mike ForeverWhy Most Teams Fail: The Dying Art of FollowershipThe Chief of Police Leadership Lesson Every Startup Founder NeedsMike is retiring from a 36-years in Law Enforcement, where he spent significant time on the SWAT Team at Tukwila and the last 8 years as Chief of Police at the Port of Seattle.I think you guys will really enjoy this one – this is Episode 24 of How NOT to Build.00:00 — Retirement, Leadership, and What Comes Next02:07 — Why Most Startups Actually Fail03:20 — What the Marine Corps Taught Mike About Leadership06:12 — The Leadership Mistake Mike Made During Desert Storm09:05 — Why Isolated Teams Eventually Collapse11:50 — The Dangerous Trap of “My Team vs The Company”14:58 — The Dying Art of Followership16:20 — The Easiest Way to Become Your Boss’s Favorite Employee18:15 — Why Smart Leaders Still Need to Be Followers20:10 — The Biggest Leadership Mistake Mike Made in 27 Years23:45 — Why Most Leaders Secretly Crave Credit25:25 — How Great Teams Handle Conflict and Accountability29:10 — “You Broke My Trust” — The Conversation Most Leaders Avoid32:05 — The Brutally Honest Team Exercise Every Company Should Try36:10 — Becoming Chief During COVID and the Anti-Police Era38:20 — How Mike Rebuilt Trust From Scratch as Chief of Police40:00 — Why Leaders Need to Over-Communicate43:15 — What “Building Relationships” Actually Means45:05 — The Leadership Comment That Backfired Immediately49:20 — The Best Leadership Book Mike Ever Read52:40 — The Team Framework Mike Is Using After Retirement56:05 — Why No Team Ever Truly “Arrives”