Episode 39: Rear Admiral Paul Becker, USN (ret) on leadership in the modern age

Rear Admiral Paul Becker, USN (Retired), is an author, speaker and board member with extensive experience in intelligence operations.

During his 30 year career as a naval intelligence officer he lead major operational intelligence efforts, rising to the position of Director of Intelligence (J2) for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Upon retirement from the Navy he formed a consultancy delivering solutions and lessons learned around intelligence to corporate America. He is also a professor, teaching at the US Naval Academy and the University of Virginia.  Paul is renowned for his ability to translate military leadership principles into corporate pillars of performance, productivity and profit.

In this OODAcast we ask Admiral Becker for his insights into what intelligence is and how to evaluate it, the difference in leadership and management, and the nature of the shifting threats in the modern geopolitical environment. We examine some of Paul's personal heroes and discuss the continuing legacy of Colonel John Boyd. We also ask Admiral Becker about his reading habits including the books he taps into for inspiration.

Related Resources:

The Intelligent Enterprise Series: Special reports from OODA focused on corporate intelligence

Useful Standards For Corporate Intelligence: Based on lessons learned from the US intelligence community and corporate America

Optimizing Corporate Intelligence: Tips and best practices and actionable recommendations to make intelligence programs better.

A Practitioner's View of Corporate Intelligence: insights aimed at corporate strategists seeking competitive advantage through better and more accurate decision-making.

An Executive's Guide To Cognitive Bias in Decision Making: Cognitive Bias and the errors in judgement they produce are seen in every aspect of human decision-making, including in the business world. Companies that have a better understanding of these cognitive biases can optimize decision making at all levels of the organization, leading to better performance in the market.