Building Better Leaders

What does it take to go from creating entertaining content as a solo creator to leading a capable team of creatives? Sam Eckholm joins us on Building Better Leaders to discuss his journey from an Air Force public affairs officer to the host of his successful YouTube show, Access Granted. He shares his insights on effective delegation, trusting your team, building a shared mission, and cultivating the relationships that make his behind-the-scenes storytelling possible. Sam’s career began at the U.S. Air Force Academy. After graduating in 2018, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and became the Public Affairs Officer for the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team at Langley Air Force Base. There, he managed all media, outreach, and content production. In 2021, Sam founded SE Media to produce his videos, which he continues to do today with over 2.5 million followers and 500 million cross-platform views.   Sam Eckholm joins us on Building Better Leaders to discuss his journey from an Air Force public affairs officer to the host of his successful YouTube channel, Sam Eckholm Book a leadership course with the Doolittle Leadership Center 👉 https://www.afa.org/dlc #leadership #sameckholm #military Videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/SamEckholm Website: https://www.sameckholm.com Email: [email protected]

Professional Leadership Coach and former USAF fighter pilot, Dr. Eric "Rabbit" Jorgensen, discusses the critical importance of being a wingman leader who intentionally lifts others up and enables their success. Wingman leaders measure their effectiveness by their positive impact on the individuals who make up the team far more than their own career promotion or duty title. Dr. Eric “Rabbit” Jorgensen is the author of “Wingman Life: Living & Leading Like a Fighter Pilot”, a book about how to be a wingman in every domain of life and leadership. He is an experienced fighter pilot with over 26 years in the U.S. Air Force and 5,000+ hours flying the F-15E Strike Eagle and other jet aircraft. Both in the Air Force and after retiring, Rabbit has cultivated decades of intentional leadership through speaking and coaching, all while continuing to develop his philosophy of the wingman life. Book a leadership course with the Doolittle Leadership Center 👉 https://www.afa.org/dlc #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #wingman #airforce #usaf #leadership Books: https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/eric_jorgensen Website: www.wingmanexecutivecoaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-jorgensen Email: [email protected]

Synchronizing your team is critical for maximum effectiveness. Dr. Patrick Donley, host of Building Better Leaders, discusses why it is so important to align your team and how to implement that alignment. Book a leadership course with the Doolittle Leadership Center 👉 https://www.afa.org/dlc #leadership #alignment #lead #leader

Former Thunderbirds commander JV Venable discusses the critical importance of onboarding in leadership, how to build trust, breaking down trust barriers, building connection and commitment, and more. John “JV” Venable is the author of a book on building and leading high-performance teams, titled “Breaking the Trust Barrier.” He is also a recognized expert on air and space capacity, capability and readiness, and a host of other defense policy issues. During his 25-year career in the Air Force, he accumulated more than 4,500 hours in the F-16 and OV-10 aircraft, graduated from the US Air Force Fighter Weapons School, and held commands at both the squadron and group levels, including as Commander and Demonstration Leader of the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, commonly known as the Thunderbirds. Book a leadership course with the Doolittle Leadership Center 👉 Doolittle Leadership Center - Air & Space Forces Association #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #thunderbirds #airforce #usaf #leader #trust #trusting

Lt. General Doug Schiess was recently nominated for the role of Chief of Space Operations of the U.S. Space Force, the service's highest ranking Guardian. He discusses leadership in crisis, setting a precedent, intentional development, the role of spouses and families in the mission, and much more.   Lt. General Doug Schiess entered the Air Force as a Distinguished Graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of California at Los Angeles in 1992 and transferred to the United States Space Force in 2022. As of the posting date of this episode, he currently serves as Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations.   This episode includes never-before-seen video footage from the original interview featured in Building Better Leaders Ep. 2.   Book a leadership course with the Doolittle Leadership Center  https://www.afa.org/dlc   #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #crisis #usspaceforce #ussf #leader #spaceforce

Your reputation as a leader has a dramatic impact on your career, for good or ill. While there are always areas you can improve, you shouldn’t try to be something you’re not. Gen. (Ret.) Lester Lyles, discusses his perspective on leadership through a remarkable career.   General Lester Lyles is a retired four-star general in the United States Air Force. He served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, and Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In his post-military career, he has served in senior leadership positions for several corporations, including General Dynamics, USAA, and KBR Inc., among others.   Book a leadership course with the Doolittle Leadership Center  https://www.afa.org/dlc   #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #leadershipqualities #usaf #leader #airforce

Intentional leadership requires knowing your people well. Chief Master Sgt. Vincent Fasano discusses the opportunities and challenges of leading people you don’t see every day.   CMSgt Vincent Fasano is the command chief of the 109th Airlift Wing, Stratton Air National Guard Base, New York. He serves as the wing's senior enlisted leader and is the principal advisor to the wing commander on matters impacting the well-being, professional development, and utilization of 1,100 personnel.   Command Chief's Compass #15 https://www.afa.org/dlc/podcast/attachments/ep23/command-chiefs-compass-15   Book a leadership course with the Doolittle Leadership Center https://www.afa.org/dlc   #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #airnationalguard #usaf #leader #airforce #ang

Building trust with employees is a vital leadership quality. Gen. Bussiere explains what “leading from the front” means and how trust is built from the top down. Gen. Thomas Bussiere is the former commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. In addition, as a command pilot, Gen. Bussiere accrued over 3,400 hours of flight time and has decades of leadership experience both in the air and on the ground. Book a leadership course with the Doolittle Leadership Center 👉 https://www.afa.org/dlc #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #leadershipqualities #usaf #leader #airforce

How to develop your employees, learn from the leadership principles we’ve inherited, and show your team you genuinely care.   Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell is a retired F-16 pilot, wing commander, and senior leader developer who’s trained thousands of young leaders in the Air Force. Today he’s a Senior Resident Fellow for Airpower Studies at AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.   Book a leadership course with the Doolittle Leadership Center: https://www.afa.org/doolittle-leadership-center/   #leadershipdevelopment #management #leadershiptips #leadershipskills #leadershiplessons #leadershiptraining #leadership #leadershipcoaching

Setting goals for your employees means more than setting a target: Your job as a leader is to clarify your vision, establish key performance indicators, give them the resources, identify obstacles, and help them stay on track in the midst of changing circumstances.

Spacepower isn’t just about technology—it’s about the people, legacy, and mindset driving it forward. We talk to Dr. David Arnold, a renowned expert on space, General Bernard Schriever’s enduring impact, and the leadership principles that shape today’s Air and Space Forces. From historical perspective to modern-day relevance, Dr. Arnold shares insights on innovation, optimism, and what it means to lead with purpose in an ever-evolving domain.

Military spouses are the prime example of how a behind-the-scenes support role can drive change, build trust, and inspire leaders wherever they are. We talk to Debbie Schiess, a nonprofit leader, parent, and spouse of Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess, on the role military spouses play every day in empowering Space Force and Air Force leadership.

Elite leadership is earned through self-discipline. Take charge of yourself and you’ll inspire your followers to do the same—learn how in this power-packed episode with CMSAF David Wolfe and SEAC #4 Ramón “CZ” Colón-López.   Colón-López's 2026 book, “Carnivore Leadership: Taking Charge Instead of Taking Shit,” is available for purchase now.   #leadershiptips #leadershipdevelopment #leadershiptraining #leadershipskills #leadershipinspiration #leadershipcoaching #buildingbetterleaders

Most leaders don’t look forward to having difficult conversations with their employees, but giving honest, actionable feedback leads to a culture where speaking up makes the whole team stronger. Here’s Chief Master Sgt. Katie McCool, Command Chief of Pacific Air Forces, on how to achieve that.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna—the highest-ranking enlisted Guardian—describes the habits that real leaders follow, and how they inspire those habits in their followers.

Here’s how to develop employees effectively with a 4-step method from Dr. Patrick Donley, host of the “Building Better Leaders” podcast and director of the Doolittle Leadership Center. This practical leadership training breaks down a simple 4-step framework—Discover, Teach, Model, and Coach—to help you grow your team’s skills, behavior, and performance.

Senior leaders from the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base in Japan explain how to develop leaders, own up to mistakes, and prioritize people while operating in non-stop high-stakes scenarios.

Col. David Wilson knows he isn’t the smartest person in the room—and that makes him an excellent leader. He digs into his experience as a wing commander and senior leader to share his hard-earned lessons of leadership. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops. Learn more at www.afa.org/DLC

Leaders set the tone for an organization’s ethos and policies—not by dictating what to do, but by modeling the required behavior. Lifelong leadership coach and retired U.S. Air Force CMSgt. Craig Neri delves into how you can set the standard of behavior you want to see in your followers.

AFCENT’s commander and enlisted command chief explain the importance of providing steady leadership to roughly 10,000 to 13,000 deployed personnel who constantly rotate in and out of their organization in the Middle East.

There’s arguably no military service in the world with a group identity as deeply ingrained or cherished as the U.S. Marine Corps. How did the Semper Fidelis, “Oohra!” culture come about? More importantly, how can leaders of other organizations create an identity that encourages similar buy-in and team motivation? Giles Kyser explains. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops. Learn more at www.afa.org/DLC

It’s hard for leaders to accurately assess whether they’re leading well simply based on results. Dr. Patrick Donley—a global leadership instructor and host of the “Building Better Leaders” podcast—shares a simple, 10-minute drill leaders can start using today to can boost intentionality and team-wide performance. Learn more at www.afa.org/DLC

Lt. Gen. Andrea Tullos joined “Building Better Leaders” a few weeks before retiring as the President of Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. There she oversaw the entire spectrum of education programs within the U.S. Air Force, from professional military education, continuing education, and granting academic degrees to 170,000 students each year. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.

Gen. Kevin "Gumby" Schneider leads U.S. Air Force activities in the Pacific, a responsibility that encompasses more than half the globe. In this episode of "Building Better Leaders," Schneider shares leadership lessons on how to effectively manage an organization of such enormous scale, especially one that's centerstage in geopolitical tension. He offers insights on building culture, staying flexible while managing risk, and fostering upward and downward trust across an organization of more than 46,000 personnel. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.

Perhaps no modern organization understands the symbiotic relationship between leadership and culture better than the U.S. Space Force, which was founded in 2019 and saw thousands of military personnel (mostly Airmen and Pentagon civilians) transition into its ranks. So just how did the Space Force establish a culture unique from its sister service—and what can leaders learn from this ongoing cultural construction project? Chief Master Sgt. Tina Timmerman (or “T2” as she’s known among her Guardians) joins us on “Building Better Leaders” for an inside scoop on how the Space Force is building strong culture by building strong leaders. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.

Fresh off the release of their new book “Get Back Up: Lessons in Servant Leadership,” the 24th Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Heather Wilson and the 21st U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein, USAF (Ret.) join “Building Better Leaders” for an incredible breakdown of cooperative leadership. They tell stories—from death-defying combat operations over Serbia, to navigating the culture and personalities of the Pentagon—and translate these tales into practical habits for young leaders serving in the military, as civilians, or still discerning their career. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.

When the U.S. Space Force was founded in 2019, Gen. John “Jay” Raymond was tapped to serve as its inaugural leader and America’s first-ever Guardian. Now three years retired from the historic role, Raymond joined “Building Better Leaders” to share behind-the-scenes stories about building the identity and culture of America’s first new military branch since the WWII era, and how the monumental project transformed his leadership philosophy. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.

What’s happiness? A high salary? Raw power? Rainbows and unicorns? Or something far deeper? It might sound trite, but happiness is more definable and objective than some would have you think—and knowing what happiness looks like professionally might just be the key to leading others well. Jackson Kerchis is the co-founder of Happiness Means Business, which helps business and military leaders identify the intersection of work and happiness. Kerchis joined this episode of “Building Better Leaders” to share everything he’s learned about happiness from cultural transformations at institutions like the U.S. Army National Guard, research studies on the science of happiness, and even his brief stint as a Zen Monk. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.

Nearly 30,000 people come to work through the gates of Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma every day. For the last two years, the safety, security, and wellbeing of those thousands of personnel have been in the hands of two leaders: Col. Abby Ruscetta, the commander of the 72nd Air Base Wing, and Chief Master Sgt. Chris Gradel, the wing’s command chief and Ruscetta’s right-hand man. Ruscetta (who retired shortly after this episode was recorded) and Gradel joined us on “Building Better Leaders” to give a candid (and often funny) glimpse into the Commander/Command Chief relationship, how they enable up-and-down feedback with one another and their teams, and why they believe communication is the foundation of leading well. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.

21-year-old Tap was one vote away from being kicked out of the U.S. Air Force for a litany of violations, a long record of bad behavior, and even an apprehension—when one leader spontaneously put his own reputation on the line to give this “bad Airman” yet another chance to prove his worth. That leader’s risky act of faith transformed Tap’s life of delinquency into a decorated 31-year career of military service, culminating in his promotion to Chief Master Sergeant, the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force. In this episode of “Building Better Leaders,” retired Chief Master Sergeant Gerardo Tapia shares intensely personal stories of leadership throughout his life, which should inspire everyone to lead with newfound compassion, mentorship, and faith in those who need a second chance. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.

How is a leader supposed to balance mentorship with authority? And how should they balance professional duties with family responsibilities without sacrificing one or the other? Space Force Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess—who leads thousands of joint-service personnel—has learned a lot about these seemingly contradictory dimensions of leadership in his 33-year career in the military. He joined “Building Better Leaders” to share some of those lessons, particularly in the realm of consciously developing and improving the individuals who depend on you to lead them. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.

Air Force Gen. Anthony J. Cotton is the Commander of U.S. Strategic Command, one of only 11 combatant commands in the Department of Defense. That makes him one of the highest-ranking individuals not just in the Air Force, but across every branch of our entire nation’s military: he leads 41,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and civilians in global nuclear operations and strategic deterrence. Cotton is an incredible first guest on “Building Better Leaders,” where he candidly presented current and aspiring leaders at every level—inside the military and outside—with astonishing insights into the nuts and bolts of leadership. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.

Listen to select moments from upcoming conversations with fighter pilots, guardians, CEOs, and wide range of influential leaders. You’ll hear quick hits on decision-making, trust, and building resilient teams, from the flight line to the boardroom. The Doolittle Leadership Center's podcast, Building Better Leaders, features candid conversations with a wide range of influential leaders about their stories— and how they have learned to lead. Dr. Patrick Donley, Director of the DLC, hosts episodes at a variety of exciting locations across the globe as he tours with the DLC's on-location leader development workshops.