What can almost 30 years with the elite SAS teach business about leadership, resilience and building teams that perform?
In this episode James H Stewart sits down with Harry Moffitt—former SAS soldier, registered psychologist, author and founder and CEO of the Stotan Group.
Across 11 operational deployments, Harry spent close to 1,000 days on Special Operations missions. He was seriously wounded in Afghanistan in 2008 and later became the SAS Human Performance Manager, bringing together his operational experience and study of psychology to better understand what enables people and teams to perform under extreme pressure.
Harry and James explore the lessons from that extraordinary career and, importantly, how they translate into business. They discuss leadership and decision-making under pressure, resilience and mental health, the importance of trust in elite teams, whether character matters more than talent, what business leaders misunderstand about high performance, and how leaders should respond when organisations find themselves in crisis.
Harry also discusses his love of cricket and his first book, Eleven Bats, as well as his latest book, The Fourth Pillar, which explores why physical, psychological and social wellbeing may not be enough—and why having a philosophical foundation can be critical to living and leading well.
It’s a fascinating conversation about character, purpose and what it really takes to perform when things get difficult.
In this episode:
• Leadership lessons from almost 30 years in the military including 11 deployments with the SAS
• Recovering after being seriously wounded in Afghanistan
• Making decisions when the consequences really matter
• Resilience, psychology and mental health
• Why trust is fundamental to high-performing teams
• Character versus talent
• Stoicism and its relevance to modern leadership
• What Special Forces can—and can't—teach business leaders
• Leading organisations through crisis
• Eleven Bats and the unlikely connection between cricket and combat
• The Fourth Pillar and the importance of purpose and philosophy
What I Learned in Business (That Didn't Kill Me!) explores the lessons learned through success, failure and everything in between.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guest in their personal capacities and do not necessarily represent the views of any current or former employer, organisation, government agency or other entity with which they have been associated. The discussion is provided for general information and entertainment purposes only and should not be relied upon as professional, psychological, medical, financial or other advice.
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