Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for Veterans Business Radio, brought to you by ATLVets, providing the tools and support that help veteran owned businesses thrive. For more information, go to atlvets.org. Now here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here another episode of Veterans Business Radio. And this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, ATL vets, inspiring veterans to build their foundation of success and empowering them to become the backbone of society after the uniform. For more information, go to ATL vets.org. Today on the show, we have Dr James Walsh, who is the the author of a book, YOU’RE A LEADER—NOW WHAT? Build Trust, Inspire Teams, Drive Results. Welcome, Jim.

Dr James Walsh: Well thanks, Lee. Great to be here, I appreciate it.

Lee Kantor: Well, I am excited to learn about this book. Tell me what compelled you to write this thing?

Dr James Walsh: Well, I really wasn’t going to write a book, but I did a dissertation and folks said, hey, you should write a book from your dissertation, you know? And my dissertation was on leadership skills for Air Force captains, you know. And so I said, okay, I’ll write a book, but it’s not going to be anything like the dissertation. I would like to have transferable skills be brought out in folks who are in leadership positions, particularly folks that are just hired as the leader, and the hiring authority recognized their skills. And that’s why they’re hired. But they may be, you know, a little bit nervous about how to proceed and all that. And the the book serves to remind them that they already have these skills and that kind of thing over. Sorry about the overs.

Lee Kantor: I got you now. Can you share a little bit about your backstory, some of your experiences that led you to be the right person to be writing a book like this?

Dr James Walsh: Sure. I’ve been of well, I’ve had a military background for about 20 years in the Air Force. And then I had a DoD background as well, a Department of Defense civilian, and just retired from that in, uh, February of 2025. So I had like 44 years altogether. And all during that time I was teaching after work, you know, teaching was sort of a hobby with me, you know, so wherever, wherever the Air Force sent me or the Department of Defense sent me, I was teaching after after the job. So roughly about a half a century, I would say that, you know, I’ve been compiling all this experience and I just thought it was kind of time to, uh, give back. I have an opportunity to share with folks. So that’s what this book is all about.

Lee Kantor: So now let’s kind of discuss some of your philosophy around leadership. Do you believe that a leader is like a natural leader, that certain people are leaders, or do you think this is something that anyone could be a leader if they have the right training or the right desire?

Dr James Walsh: Well, I think both of those answers are correct. There are some folks that seem to have natural leadership skills, and you can also learn a lot about leadership as you go. And I’ve had a lot of students that kind of take leadership courses, uh, leadership and management courses. And I’ve asked them the question of, do you really want to do this in life? Are you taking this as another course? And so we’ve had, uh, dealings with that already. Uh, and, uh, the fact that they have learned, uh, and they can learn, uh, and, uh, apply, uh, leadership skills, concepts, uh, perhaps learned in the classroom to real life.

Lee Kantor: Now, do you ever find that, um, an organization might kind of anoint someone as a leader and then all of a sudden this person doesn’t kind of believe that they are the leader that maybe the organization believes them to be. Is there some imposter syndrome kind of in some folks?

Dr James Walsh: Gee, I don’t know. I haven’t thought about that. Um, there are, uh, it’s true that, uh, someone can be appointed as a leader without the skills because of, uh, of, uh, perhaps political connections or maybe they’re whatever the reason is, um, that, uh, you know, they may not have the, the skills that, that are needed, uh, you know, and so, uh, that, that certainly happens.

Lee Kantor: And then how would you recommend that person kind of move forward in that new role if they if they feel doubt themselves?

Dr James Walsh: Okay. Yeah, that’s kind of what the book is about, uh, gaining trust, you know, because, um, leaders are only as good as the people that work with them and for them, uh, they can’t do stuff by themselves, you know? And so what the book is all about is, uh, effectively communicating, uh, team building, collaborating to gain trust, uh, of the folks that are actually going to do the work, uh, that the, the leader is responsible for.

Lee Kantor: So what are some of the ways that a new leader can establish that trust within a team?

Dr James Walsh: Okay. Yeah. Uh, first, uh, effectively listening to them, uh, you know, and, and I focus on listening more than speaking, um, particularly as you, uh, to, to your point, if the leader doesn’t have the confidence and doesn’t feel like they have gained the trust, you know, uh, you, uh, learn about folks that are on your team and you learn to listen to them and to take their inputs. And particularly when the inputs are for, uh, organizational objectives for which everyone’s responsible.

Lee Kantor: Now, in your experience, is this something that, um, if you don’t establish trust right away, like what are some of kind of the ramifications of not doing that part well?

Dr James Walsh: Well, people, uh, would not support you if you don’t have their trust and, uh, they may not support you, uh, you know, and, and, uh, so, uh, you don’t achieve organizational objectives as fast, um, as efficiently. Um, because, um, people, uh, maybe doubt your abilities or maybe they feel that you’re not listening to them. Uh, and they’re not your, their inputs aren’t, aren’t being, uh, uh, seriously considered and all that kind of thing.

Lee Kantor: Now when you talk about trust and you talk about feelings, uh, this sounds like you’re in a kind of a realm of maybe emotional intelligence. How important is kind of that soft skill when it comes to being an effective leader?

Dr James Walsh: Oh, that’s vitally important. Uh, that’s another part of my book that, that, uh, emotional intelligence as far as dealing with and emotions of people who are really, uh, really, uh, show the emotions really show when they’re giving their inputs, you know, and so leaders have to be attuned to those emotions and, and, and, uh, show particularly that they’re listening and that they’re really seriously considering, uh, and they’re sensitive to the emotions that, uh, people are showing.

Lee Kantor: Now, what about kind of the old school my way or the highway just, you know, kind of just do your job. Like, how does kind of that play into this type of emotional intelligence?

Dr James Walsh: Well, uh, you know, that is another leadership approach that, uh, um, I’ve sort of lived through from the military. You know, it was, it was, uh, you know, jumping how high when I joined the military way back when. And then that evolved into, uh, jump. And why do we have to jump to today’s, we, we want to participate in the jump, you know, and so directive leadership has, has proven to have its place and it does have its place. That’s a that’s one of the leadership styles that leaders can can select if they feel that it’s appropriate, it’s their judgment to do that. But they should understand the the shortcomings of that approach as well, particularly when it has to do with understanding people and their, uh, they’re trying to communicate, uh, and emotional intelligence.

Lee Kantor: So if, if somebody maybe is from another generation and they, you know, grew up in that environment of, you know, how high should I jump and all that stuff. It, I would imagine that in today’s world, especially among the younger folks listening, the aspiring leaders, that’s going to degrade trust, that’s going to degrade communications. They’re going to I mean, I don’t know how effective that’s going to be in, uh, in today’s world. How do you recommend kind of the old school folks manage the the younger generation when it comes to things like this that maybe just because they didn’t grow up, you know, in that environment, that seems to be kind of the environment we’re in now.

Dr James Walsh: Oh, I couldn’t agree more, Lee. And there really have to adapt to change. Like I had to adapt to change, you know, and I’m of that generation as well when, when, uh, you know, jumping how high that’s, that’s my generation. I am a boomer. Uh, but, uh, and then, uh, they have to recognize the fact that, uh, younger folks today, uh, different generations don’t respond well to, uh, direction, uh, the directive type of leadership. And, uh, they need to understand that, uh, um, leaders need to understand that they’re leading all kinds of folks. Uh, boomers like me are are Gen Z folks as well, uh, that have a different, uh, a different, uh, perception of work. And in fact, that’s one of the questions that I’ve asked over the years in class, you know, and, uh, right after we introduce ourselves, I, I asked them the rhetorical question of, uh, how many of you are going to stay until the job is done, no matter what, you know? And, uh, the boomers would raise their hands, you know, very affirmatively. And, uh, the generation’s ears or the Generation Xers, uh, would, uh, say, well, uh, we, we prioritize work just like everyone else. However, it’s got its place. We have other things to do, other responsibilities. We have family responsibilities. And that’s why we need to leave it at quitting time to address our other responsibilities. So my message to the leaders, essentially, is to recognize the fact that you have different, uh, folks with different perceptions of different generations, with different perceptions of work and, uh, that they respond differently to, uh, the directive leadership style. And perhaps, uh, you may want to consider changing your leadership style because you have the ability to do that. You can, you can go to a participative, uh, type of an, a collaboration type of style, uh, for the good of not only yourself, but the, particularly the organization and, uh, the folks that really have to do the work.

Lee Kantor: Now at the heart of the book, obviously it’s about leadership, but from an organizational standpoint, aren’t you really talking about culture, um, and the culture of the organization when it comes to communicating and, um, and managing the folks on the team.

Dr James Walsh: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. And the, uh, the culture of the organization is established by your senior leaders, uh, you know, and, uh, but they also give some flexibility at times. In other words, uh, my example in the military as a commander, of course, the military’s directive by nature, uh, you know, but, uh, within the direction, uh, the directive culture, I should say, uh, I was given latitude to use my personal preferred style of leadership, which was, uh, participative and collaboration, uh, you know, and, uh, so, uh, for example, uh, folks knew I was the commander, you know, I didn’t have to remind him of that fact. And when they came to see me, we had to have a serious discussion. Uh, but I would talk to them as, like, I’m talking to you right now. Uh, you know, in fact, I was confronted by a senior noncommissioned officer the first time I. I used this style, and he said that, uh, this is the first time you’ve ever had to administer discipline, isn’t it? And I said, yeah, as a matter of fact, it is. And it was. And, and he said, well, you should have been very directive and you should have made them feel like they’re like three inches tall and, and really chastised them and all that. So I asked him one question, what is what was the result? The result was that the person was severely disciplined, but we did it in such a way that we had the discussion and everything came out. And, uh, all parties understood why. Uh, he was, uh, being disciplined and all that. So I, I actually changed my style toward the senior noncommissioned officer. And I said, just don’t let the door hit you in the back on the way out. That was the directive.

Lee Kantor: And it shows that you could adapt.

Dr James Walsh: Yeah, I can adapt. And, and this, this was his leadership style that he was trying to project on me. Right. And the book, uh, I really try to make that point in the book that, uh, you have a choice of leadership styles. You can adapt your leadership styles to the situation, situational leadership. It’s your judgment as to how you need to, how, how you need to act. But don’t, uh, I, I wouldn’t project my leadership style on anybody else if they feel like directive is, is the most appropriate way to be. Thanks.

Lee Kantor: Now isn’t um, isn’t it the case where this is your collaborative, collaborative leadership style? It that’s a, a nice tool to have in your tool belt. I mean, you shouldn’t just have one tool in your tool belt. You know, if if you only have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

Dr James Walsh: Oh, absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. This is why you, you can, uh, be aware of the different leadership styles, uh, you know, and you can be directive when it calls for it, when you feel in your judgment, it calls for it to be, uh, you can be, uh, participative when, when, uh, you know, when you feel like the situation, uh, or collaborative, uh, when the situation calls for that as well. So you have multiple tools in your toolbox as to your point, you should have, uh, based on your judgment and situation that you can apply, uh, as you would need to as a leader.

Lee Kantor: So how did you kind of land on the leadership style that you gravitated towards? Did you try on a few and then landed here, or was this just something that you were naturally this way?

Dr James Walsh: I was naturally comfortable with, with collaboration and participative. Um, there was like four years as a commander. I think I can count on one hand the times that I had to be directive to people. Um, and, uh, in fact, I, uh, um, the, the 32nd war story. I had a visitor. My cousin visited me when I was in Greece and, uh, he went to the gate to the security police man at the gate and says, hey, do you know Captain Walsh? And they said, yeah, we know Captain Walsh. I was their commander, uh, you know, uh, and, but they, they volunteered and they said, uh, he’s tough, but he’s fair. And, uh, you know, I could live with that. And, and, uh, I don’t know if they would ever tell me that directly. Uh, they told my cousin that he told me of that incident. I says, yeah, that’s, that’s really good feedback.

Lee Kantor: So now in your book is your book have um, is it like you mentioned there was maybe inspired by a dissertation, but so is it super researchy or is it more, um, anecdotes and stories? Um, what’s the structure?

Dr James Walsh: Okay. The structure of the book is very, very much pragmatic. Uh, it is not conceptual. It is not a textbook. Um, and it was done by, uh, purposely, you know, I, my, my general guidance was to, uh, have, uh, a very pragmatic, practical approach, um, to, uh, people who have the skills, who have the transferable skills and they’re new to an organization and it’s a short book. I mean, you can read it on a, on a, on a two hour plane ride, I would say, uh, and, uh, it is research based and there is an appendix with all the references and that people want to look at to, to validate what I’m saying. But the approach itself, the book itself is, is more of a primer, you know, for, for, uh, new leaders and old leaders who are in a new position, uh, that, uh, really need to, uh, regain their confidence. And, uh, at the end of each chapter, most, I think they conclude, most of them conclude with, uh, the, the fact that you’ve got this, you’ve got the skills. Think about when you’re in situations like this before and how you’ve handled it. And, uh, take a look at the culture to your point that you’re in now, the position that you’re in now. And, and, uh, think about how you can apply what you’ve done before because you have the skill, you have the transferable skill, uh, or you wouldn’t have been hired for the position.

Lee Kantor: So do you have a piece of advice for maybe that aspiring leader who hasn’t gotten that opportunity yet to lead? What should they be doing to be, an effective leader when they do get the chance.

Dr James Walsh: Well, they have to, uh, they have to gain the trust of the people. Uh, and, uh, it’s a, it’s a, your question is, is, uh, very generic. And, uh, there’s some folks that may already have the trust, uh, because, uh, there could be promoted, uh, within an organization, uh, you know, and, uh, they were a technician. Now they’re a leader. They’ve made that transition. People already know them. So they already know, you know, they already know the culture and they’re aware of how to effectively operate within that culture. Okay. That’s a different situation from, uh, from, uh, somebody hired, uh, outside, uh, from outside the organization who has to learn the culture, you know, then has, has more, more of a, uh, a lot little longer road to gain the trust of folks, uh, you know, so, uh, leaders, uh, can, Can gain trust by, uh, you know, effectively communicating and, and, uh, collaborating and building teams, uh, you know, team building and, and using emotional intelligence. Uh, and, uh, we’ve, uh, discussed now.

Lee Kantor: Uh, in the subtitle of the book, it’s build trust, inspire teams drive results. Is it possible to inspire someone? Is it possible to motivate somebody else? Or does this have to be something that’s done internally by the individual?

Dr James Walsh: Well, I believe it has to be done internally by by the individual. But, uh, you, you can, uh, really bring that out, bring out their motivation, uh, you know, uh, by, by establishing trust by, by listening to them, by, uh, positively reacting to their emotions. I really believe that’s going to ignite their internal motivation to really, uh, say, uh, thank God it’s Monday versus, uh, thank God it’s Friday. Uh, you know what I mean? And, and, uh, and so, uh, yeah, I think, I think the answer to your question, it’s both, you know, people are motivated internally for sure. Uh, but they are also, uh, inspired by leaders or are impacted by leaders. And I believe it’s, it’s, uh, it depends on the leader’s ability to really listen to their inputs and sincerely, um, respond and, and, uh, all that. And then that motivation, the internal motivation comes out.

Lee Kantor: Now, what about the, um, kind of getting everybody on the same team when it comes to the why behind, uh, you know what, what they’re doing, how important the mission actually is.

Dr James Walsh: Yeah, it’s a good, good, good question. And, uh, just finished an article on that. And part of the book talks about, uh, uh, conflict, conflict management and, uh, constructive conflict. In other words, you’re on the same team. You all want to contribute to the organizational goal, but you have differences of opinion. And, and, uh, the leaders, uh, job then becomes to becomes to recognize everybody’s input and, and, uh, inspire them to, uh, work towards what’s best for the organization, you know, and, uh, sometimes what’s best for the organization may not agree with the input that you want to give or your team member wants to give. Uh, but they should be mature enough to understand that, you know, and, and, and accept that that doesn’t always happen. Uh, but, uh, yeah, that’s, uh, that kind of dynamic has to happen. And, and, uh, and, uh, attack a problem, not a person. That’s the other thing. Sometimes there’s personality conflicts that come out and maybe some agendas that people have that they feel like they maybe should have gotten promoted and weren’t or whatever their, their agendas are. Uh, you know, you, you need to be able to, uh, work together as a team for the organization because, uh, in the final analysis, that’s what it’s all about. And the leader’s job is to listen to everybody’s inputs, uh, you know, and then have everyone collaborate and the group come to a decision also on what’s best for the organization. So, uh, that may help to ameliorate or placate the person who who lost. You know, they didn’t they didn’t have their inputs. Uh, b a plot. Well, they they were listened to, but they, they weren’t, uh, they weren’t implemented because the group, not just the leader, um, decided that, uh, that was, uh, you know, what’s best for the organization may have not been that this individual’s input.

Lee Kantor: Now, what if you’re, uh, a person on a team and you feel like the team’s going in the wrong direction. Uh, what are some strategies for that person to be heard and, um, maybe sway the others or else if they’re not going to be swayed, what should their next move be?

Dr James Walsh: Okay. Um, well, uh, in the book, I talk about management by objectives and the group has come to, uh, to, uh, Agree to what the objectives of the teams are. And I talk about, uh, um, periodically going back, you know, first first meeting with the meeting with the, with the team, establishing collaboratively the objectives, you know, and then, uh, letting them go out to, uh, accomplish those objectives without, without interference. But you’re there to support them, you know, and then, uh, you have a, the third step would be the, the, uh, a return meeting to see if the objectives were, were, uh, achieved. Why or why not? And, and, uh, that’s when, uh, maybe these differences would come out, uh, as, as well, uh, you know, and so again, what, what, what drives me here with that management by objective process and, and what I hope would drive the majority of, uh, of the team is, uh, the objectives established to, uh, for the organization. You know, you have your strategic objectives at the top and then your, your operational objectives, which is what, uh, the new team leaders would be dealing with the operational objectives that, that fit into the strategic ones, you know? And so while this process is happening, my, my goal is to have folks, uh, buy into it, uh, you know, and then when there’s some, uh, some disagreement, then we have to, we have to take a look at it and say, well, why is why what, what’s going on? You know, why wasn’t the goal achieved? Uh, you know, and, uh, and all, I don’t know if I completely answered your question or not.

Lee Kantor: Yeah. Well, I’m just trying to get to the heart of say you’re on a team. Uh, you don’t agree with, uh, maybe the objective and you put forth your opinion or your, uh, you know, your thoughts on the matter And now you have a choice to go along and just shut up and go along. And because you’re a team member, you’re not the leader of the team. Um, but, uh, is there anything else that person could do to, um, you know, if it’s important to them, if they think that this is, this is a mistake, we shouldn’t be doing this. Um, just how that person should, what they should do in order to be heard and maybe affect change from within.

Dr James Walsh: Yeah. I think, uh, what I would recommend there, essentially, as I, I’m hoping I have their trust as the leader and I’m hoping they know they can talk with me offline or in addition, uh, after the group has, has, uh, has made the decision and, uh, I go along with that. And if I agree with the group, the majority of the group, that this is what’s best for the organization, and then the individual that, you know, didn’t, uh, had a different opinion, um, wanted to talk with me about it. I certainly would have an open door policy to consider everything that they are trying to, you know, uh, to have considered as to why the decision may not be best for the organization. I would hope that they would know that I would listen to them, um, after the decision was made as well, because I have open door policy and, uh, I’m a sort of a collaborative participative guy, you know, and, and, uh, I can be collaborative and participative and you still don’t get the answer you’re looking for, uh, you know, uh, but I’m, I’m going to listen. And they’re going to know that I listened and that I considered and all that. So that’s how I would approach it.

Lee Kantor: Now, is there any story you can share, maybe people you’ve worked with, maybe leaders that you’ve trained up, maybe share where they started and how you were able to help them get to a higher level or a new level when it comes to leadership skills and impacting folks.

Dr James Walsh: Oh, sure. Um, I’ve got, uh, probably more war stories than we have time for today.

Lee Kantor: Right. You don’t don’t name the name of the individual. Maybe share the challenge they came to you with and how you were able to help them.

Dr James Walsh: Oh, sure. Sure. No. Uh, the challenge, uh, was when? When, uh, I was a commander. I had someone working for me that wanted to be an officer, and he wasn’t being supported by his direct supervisor. So he came to me as a as a commander, and I gave him a recommendation for officer training. And, uh, he subsequently was accepted to officer training, and he came back to the same organization as a lieutenant. And, and, uh, and, and got promoted all the way up, up to captain, uh, you know, so he was always grateful to me for that. And, uh, I saw the potential in him. He wasn’t, uh, he was an excellent technician, but, but he had skills that were go beyond that. And ultimately, he was promoted to colonel. He retired as, as as a full colonel. Uh, you know, and he never forgot my, my recommendation. And I, I saw in him the fact that, uh, he’s got more skills than, than what he’s, uh, what his job calls for currently.

Lee Kantor: Now, when that happens, and obviously that person went over the head of somebody else does. How did that friction get handled or was there friction?

Dr James Walsh: No, there wasn’t really friction. Uh, there wasn’t there wasn’t really friction, uh, at all. And, uh, I just let him know that I gave the recommendation and they didn’t. And that in that case, they didn’t contest it.

Lee Kantor: So now if somebody wants to get Ahold of the book, what’s the best place to do that? I’m sure it’s available everywhere, but is Amazon the best place to start looking for this thing?

Dr James Walsh: Oh yeah. It’s on Amazon. It’s on Amazon. You can you can preorder it or actually you can order it because, uh, the, the book launched yesterday. And so you go to amazon.com and plug in the title, um, you know, or my name and the book will come up and it’ll show you that you can order it.

Lee Kantor: All right. And the book is titled You’re a Leader Now what build trust, inspire teams drive results. Dr James Walsh, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Dr James Walsh: Well thank you. Thank you for having me.

Lee Kantor: All right. This Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on Veterans Business Radio.