I frequently get asked how a person with my background (3 engineering degrees, quantitative MBA, operations leadership background in technology-based organizations, Board of Trustees for the Naval Academy Alumni Association) became a business adviser.  Why not remain in the defense industry, do technical consulting, or do something else that leverages my technology background?

The answer is simply frustration.  For someone like me, who spent about 11 years total in the Navy (7 years commissioned + 4 years at the Naval Academy), I had become accustomed to a certain level of leadership and strategic thinking.  When I entered the civilian workforce almost 20 years ago, I quickly grew frustrated with how pervasive the lack of leadership and strategic thinking was in the business world.  In my roles as a leader, I had opportunities to improve things from a consulting point-of-view (e.g. provide a solution, suggest ways to implement), but it quickly became clear that management and strategic consulting wasn’t effective enough.  Transforming an organization would require transforming the leader.