Oct 30, 2018
Today on the show we have Scott Mann from Rooftop Leadership. Scott is a former Green Beret turned leadership coach. And he has taken many of the lessons that he used as a Green Beret, which meant he was going into villages in Central America, South America, Afghanistan, and building trust with people there, and creating relationships with those communities and empowering people there, and taking those same ideas and applying it to the trust starved world that we have today in just in entrepreneurship, in our online marketing, in our teams.
And so much of what he has to share is really, really applicable, whether you're just starting out as an entrepreneur, and maybe you don't even have your first hire yet. Or if you have a large corporation, organization, with dozens or hundreds of employees. I think that there are lots of great lessons in this about understanding your story, creating a good vision that people can get behind.
Key Takeaways
[4:13] What chance encounter led Scott to become a Green Beret
[5:17] Why mentorship is so important
[7:35] How Scott took his Green Beret skills to build his current life
[12:11] Why trust is the most important factor of a good leader
[17:55] How a leader can effectively inspire their associates/employees
[20:55] What primarily drives every human being and how to use it for success
[24:49] 3 important lessons for future leaders
[29:20] How to find your inner storyteller
[35:10] How you can become a better mentor
Scott Mann Information
Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret
Transcript of Podcast
Kyle Gray:
Hello and welcome to The Story Engine Podcast. I just have to say it is such an incredible experience being able to put together this show and bring some really incredible people from so many different walks of life, so many skill sets, so many different perspectives, here to share their information, their wisdom, their stories, their scars, with you on this show. The people that I've connected with have really just all been changing my life personally. And after each episode, I'm just glowing and smiling because of the amazing wisdom that just got shared with me. And I hope that many of you are feeling the same effect after hearing some of the guests we have on the show.
Without further ado, let's turn it over to Scott. Scott, welcome to The Story Engine Podcast. I’m so excited to have you on the show today. We get a lot of amazing people, but you are a very unique storyteller. I just want to thank you for joining us.
Scott Mann:
Yeah. Thanks a lot, Kyle. Good to be on here.
Kyle Gray:
I want to give you the chance to talk about who you are and what you do. But first, I would love to hear kind of a little glimpse into your story. I'd love to hear a defining moment from your own life that has brought you to where you are today. And then through that, I'd love to hear. Just share with the audience about what you do and who you are.
Scott Mann:
Yeah, sure. I spent almost 23 years in the US Army, and 18 of that as a special forces officer, or what we're sometimes called is a Green Beret. People, a lot of times they get Green Berets confused with Navy Seals. Navy Seals have way better hair than we do. The Green Berets, we're typically going into places behind enemy lines working with tribal indigenous folks, whereas Navy Seals, Army Rangers, Delta Force, they're kind of an in and out quick strike force kind of operation.
Spent 18 years of my life working in Central and South America, and then also in Southwest Asia, primarily Afghanistan. Four tours in combat post 9/11. And I would say for a defining moment for me was the one that I always talk about is when I was actually 14, living in a little town, a little logging town in Arkansas, a Green Beret actually came into our soda shop. And that was the first time I'd ever even been exposed to anyone in the military. And from that point on, that's when I decided to be that at a very young age, and it changed my whole life.
Kyle Gray:
Wow. Yeah. That's incredible that somebody from back then could make such a big impact. That is just rippling through time in so many ways. That one little moment caused an impact on so many lives in the military. And now tell us what you're doing these days as a civilian, because you're making as big of an impact. And you've taken a lot of what you've learned and a lot of your experience kind of building trust with these people in Central America and Afghanistan. And how do you use those skills today with some of the people you work with?
Scott Mann:
That's a cool question. The first thing I'll just say real quick though if I could is that whole aspect of mentorship. I think it's something we've gotten away from today. I try to always take a lot of time today to work with teenagers and young folks that are trying to make their way in the world. And I think just a reminder to all of us that you never know what you say or what you do, how that will impact someone's life, especially a young person who's trying to find their way, that one moment when you're too busy, or you've got this thing to do, where you can write a letter of recommendation, or just sit down and have a conversation can literally alter someone's life. And I think today we're running in such the rat race that we forget that.
Kyle Gray:
That's powerful.
Scott Mann:
Yeah.
Kyle Gray:
Does the Beret that you met in the soda shop, did you ever reconnect with them and tell them in any way, hey, you made this impact on me?
Scott Mann:
Look, that guy mentored me until I retired. In fact, he bought me a green beret on my senior trip when I went to see him. That's how much of a life I did not have in high school. But my senior trip was to Fort Bragg to spend time with him. And he actually bought me a green beret in the museum and made me promise not to wear it until I earned it. So I carried it for 14 years until I actually put it on my head. And yeah, he mentored me all the way up through retirement and was a huge impact on my life. And so yeah, mentorship today can be very, very powerful.
But anyway, back to your deeper question on what I've taken from life and the military and how I'm applying it today, I'm a leadership coach and storyteller. My specialty is in making human connections in trust depleted areas. That's what we do as Green Berets, we have to go into places where there's no trust, or very little trust. And we have to make human connections with just 12 guys in a place where we're typically heavily surrounded. Once those connections are made, we have to move people to take action to defend themselves, to stand up on their own, from the bottom up, from the inside out. And it's all relationship based. Green Berets are relationship-based connectors. We restore trust. We establish relationships. We bridge gaps.
And from there, we then train and advise indigenous folks how to stand up on their own. And when I retired five years ago, Kyle, it seemed to me that everywhere I looked in the United States, there was just this huge erosion of trust. In fact, Gallup says that we've gone from one-third of Americans trusting their neighbor in 1972, to two-thirds of Americans don't trust their neighbor today.
Kyle Gray:
Wow.
Scott Mann:
Yeah. And so this trust depleted environment that we find ourselves in as business leaders, as community leaders, as parents, how do we bridge those trust gaps? And what I found is what I learned in life and death works really well in life in business too, those old-school human interpersonal skills. So that's what I teach. I teach that in corporate America. I teach it to high performing entrepreneurs, and even in the nonprofit space. I also still teach at the Special Forces University at Fort Bragg. I teach that skill set to emerging Green Berets, other special ops, and federal law enforcement. Kind of a wide berth.
Kyle Gray:
But it's incredible, and it's fascinating the parallels. And I bet you never imagined life taking you in this direction. Something that you said stuck with me about kind of how much trust is eroding just in the United States, maybe even globally in general. And I'd love to know. Why do you think that is? Why is that happening right now when we are actually more connected than ever through technology?
Scott Mann:
Yeah. It's almost like we're hyper-connected technologically but severely disconnected at a personal level, more so than we've ever been. In fact, I think it was Microsoft that did a survey that the average attention span of an adult human in today's world is eight seconds. That's one second less than a goldfish. Right? When you think about that, when you engage with someone, you've got eight seconds to decide whether or not they click off of you, or whether they move onto the next thing. And so Robert Putnam in his book Bowling Alone talked about a whole host of social reasons why we've eroded trust in social capital in our world. And it really started in 1972. Again, there are a range of social indicators and reasons for why it happened, everything from suburbanization, the advent of television and mass media, the Vietnam War. There's just a whole host. I think he listed 15 of them. But they've all over time conspired to move us away from trust.
But I would tell you my opinion on it is I believe it's an absence of leadership. I believe in the last 30 plus years, we've seen an erosion of leadership at both the institutional and community level, that has caused the trust to not go away, but to go from a type of trust where you could bridge. Trust was a bridging thing that was regardless of race, or ethnicity, or religion in our country. Whereas now, it's almost primal or tribal. It's almost an ancient form of trust that we have in the country today, where we trust only the people who look like us or live where we live or believe what we believe. And when that happens, that is usually an indicator of poor leadership. That's my position on it.
Kyle Gray:
Wow. That's fascinating. You've already kind of circled back on this. I think this is similar to what you were saying right at the opening of this about mentorship too.
Scott Mann:
Yeah.
Kyle Gray:
And I would love to know now kind of digging deeper into this. And I agree with you. I think that it's difficult in this place where a lot of us feel really isolated. A lot of us feel probably unsure of ourselves. And we're getting all of these messages, not just with mass media, which in a lot of ways, I feel is designed to kind of make us feel insecure until we make a purchase. But social media in a lot of ways, kind of only the top .01% of people doing amazing things makes it to what we're seeing. And so we feel probably pretty insignificant in ourselves. And there's really nobody that we can connect to or have guidance. And so I'd love to know. What are the qualities of a leader in this day and age? And where can we see them? Or where can these qualities be applied to start to overcome this lack of trust we're seeing?
Scott Mann:
That's a great question. The leadership that I practice, I call it Rooftop Leadership. And I coined that term in Afghanistan when we were working in these villages. It was kind of like a modern version of Magnificent Seven meets Lawrence of Arabia, where you go into these places that are really, really trust depleted. And the villagers are put upon heavily by the Taliban and other outside forces, and they just don't have the wherewithal to stand up on their own. So we would move into these communities. We would live in these communities, eat where they ate, sleep where they slept, endure whatever struggles they're going through. And then when the community is attacked, our Green Berets would go up on their rooftop in the village where they were living, in the building where they were living, and defend that community.
In the beginning, most of the Afghans would not even climb the ladders. They would stay in their homes. Remember, you're talking about 40 years of just traumatic shock that these folks have been through where they're so traumatized that they can't move. But one by one, over a period of two to three weeks usually, you would see one farmer, and then another farmer, and then another farmer, climb up on their roof and defend their home with their old British Enfield rifle. And before long, the entire community firing back at the Taliban, breaking the attack off, as they've done for centuries. But it was that type of leadership in the beginning that enabled them to find their courage to go up and do that and find their inspiration to do that. And it was through action and deed.
I believe rooftop leaders or servant leaders today, especially in a trust depleted environment, first and foremost they have to have this crystal clear vision of a world that doesn't yet exist. I think that's essential. You've got to have a vision of a better world that doesn't yet exist. Then you've got to have this dynamic ability to inspire other people to help you build it, in the same way, that those Green Berets could bridge the trust gap, the ethnicity gaps, the religious gaps through interpersonal communications, active listening. But yet ultimately, actually action and deed.
And then finally, are you willing to climb that ladder up into the darkness and stand your ground on your own? I have found today, most leaders are not. Most leaders are not committed enough to what they're doing to climb that ladder, stand their ground in the darkness until others find the courage to follow. That's leadership. That's hard. It's easy to lead when the sun is shining. Some people call that management. But leading when no one follows you in the beginning, and you've got to endure the suck by yourself, that's a whole different animal. And I think that's what's so sorely needed today, is leaders who are willing to do that. And if you do, then the rewards are great. When they do decide to follow you, they'll run through walls for you. But it's not easy.
Kyle Gray:
That is incredible. So many questions are popping up. I want to ask them all at the same time. I'm having a hard time putting this all together. That's just so exciting because I really resonate with what you're saying, especially when you say having a vision about a better world that's not yet made. It almost reminds me there was a movie called Tomorrowland, or something, that came out a little way ago. But I think it was very poignant. And you touched on the same point. I think a lot of people, no matter where you sit, or where your perspective is, I think it's really easy to be discouraged in this day and age. And so being able to have somebody that has a vision to see the value in the future and to see value in you, and to stand up and kind of get people moving towards that future and creating that, because I think that's something we need. I think that was a big thing that happened with NASA and the space program in the 60s.
It was a big vision that everybody could get behind, and it moved mountains in ways that we could not expect. And I also totally agree with you on the having courage to stand up in the darkness. And I would love to know some of the ways or some examples from civilians and people that you've worked with and you've coached. What does it look like? You've described what it looks like kind of in Afghanistan. Somebody needs to get up on their roof and start standing up against what seems like a totally unwinnable fight, especially when they're on their own, and nobody in the village is backing them up.
Scott Mann:
Right.
Kyle Gray:
How does this apply over here in the United States or wherever our listeners are working from?
Scott Mann:
That's a great question. I'm doing coaching right now with a commercial bank, one of the top commercial banks in the nation. And I'm working with their leadership team. One of the things that they're trying to do is to advance a series of initiatives within their commercial bank that are really going to change the way banking is done, but also the experience for the client. And it's going to change the applicability and the user skills of the people in the business. It's going to change their experience and their life, and make their life easier, make it more fun, more enjoyable, more purposeful.
The problem is most of the associates who are on this journey, they don't feel like they're part of it. They feel like in some ways, maybe this has been prescribed. Maybe it's just another top driven strategy. There's a whole host of things that get in the way of implementing at a leadership level some very potentially powerful initiatives. And so one of the things that we've been working on with them is: How, as senior leaders, do you get in front of your folks and talk about things like, for example, technology transformation? If you're going to implement these technology initiatives, how will that show up in the day to day life of your associate? Right?
Instead of talking about how much it means to you as the leader, which is what we typically do because it's all about me. Right? But even when we don't want it to be, it is. And if you really want to impact people, make them the hero in the hero's journey, not you. When you talk about technology transformation, how does it affect your associate at that most junior level? How are they the hero in that journey? If they buy into this, what's going to show up in their life? How will it change their J-O-B? How will it change their experience and their self-perceived purpose? And if you can help them see that, then the odds are that they're going to climb up onto that rooftop.
But a lot of it starts with putting the associate, or the employee, or the client as the hero, which then begs the question. Well, if I'm the storyteller, what does that make me? Well, if this were Star Wars, you'd be Yoda or Obi-Wan. You're the guide. You're the person that's been to the mountain and back. You've got that experience. And now you are the one that's going to guide them on that journey. It's a bit of a switch. And purposeful storytelling, Donald Miller talked about it. Michael Hauge talked about it. But very few people do it. That would be an example, Kyle, of how you could take a pretty hefty initiative like technology transformation and get people to come up on the rooftop with you. Make them the hero in the journey. Make a connection with them. And let them see what it looks like from the rooftop for them with you as the guide telling them that story.
Kyle Gray:
Yeah. And I think that's really powerful. Again, I think that's something that I discuss as well, is that shift from really feeling yourself as the hero and changing your position to somewhat of a guide, and showing that you make and have a bigger vision.
Scott Mann:
Absolutely.
Kyle Gray:
What's interesting about that is I think that's something that a lot of the people that you work with, they probably don't know, or realize, or recognize right away. And I'm wondering if there's some other kind of common trends that you notice in the people that you work with. Before they work with you, what are some of the mental blocks that they have? Or what are some of the things they don't realize about themselves that you help uncover that you can kind of share with us some insights in today?
Scott Mann:
Yeah. Great question. First thing I always tell folks is, we have lost touch with our nature. We have lost touch with our nature, and therefore, we're operating in the rat race with completely disconnected, completely disconnected from ourselves, our fellow employees, whatever. I always start with humans are the most meaning-seeking, emotional, and social creatures on the planet. And we have forgotten that. We somehow think that because we have evolved socially that those things are no longer true. But let's just unpack that for a second. The most meaning-seeking creatures on the planet means that we are primarily driven by purpose. Without purpose, we die. Our operating system is fueled almost exclusively by identity and the perception of one's identity.
As the most meaning-seeking creatures on the planet, we are primarily driven by purpose. Without purpose, we die.
And if you look at a society or an individual who loses that, they die. They cannot survive. And also, right behind that ... And remember, a lot of this is built around resource scarcity and the need to just stay alive on this planet. Right? But the pursuit of meaning and one's purpose and identity is absolutely crucial to not just surviving, but thriving. That's number one. Number two, emotional. Alan Weiss, a business consultant, says, "Logic makes people think. Emotion makes people act." The limbic brain, the mammal brain that makes the big decisions in life, doesn't even process language. We are emotional creatures. We'll always be emotional creatures. The person across from you in the negotiation is going to be emotional.
One thing that my friend and director and singing partner, Aim, and I talk about, she's constantly pushing us as veterans, as combat veterans, to tap into those emotions because as humans, we tend to bury it. Right? But the reality is, emotion if you understand it as an operating system, is a powerful, powerful influencer in human behavior. And finally, social. We are the most social creatures on the planet. We sit at the top of the food chain above a great white and a grizzly bear, not because we've got fur, fangs, or claws, but because we've learned how to group over hundreds of thousands of years, and form in groups that can overcome other out groups, and what mother nature throws at us. We're wired to connect with each other. It's in our DNA. It's in our molecules, oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine, all of that drives us to form human connections.
Laying that out, meaning-seeking, emotional, social creatures, the more we can learn about that reality as it shows up in ourselves, and as it shows up in the behavior of other human beings, and this is what I teach in Rooftop Leadership, the more of a competitive edge and the more relevant you are with the people you lead.
Kyle Gray:
I think that's incredible. There so many good things here. A lot of the listeners on this show, some of them have bigger organizations. But I think most of them are just starting out. Maybe they're on their own. Maybe they have their first assistant. Maybe they're growing a little bit beyond that. But I think hearing you right now, it's a big opportunity for them to see into the future, if their company continues to grow, they continue to do what they're doing, they continue to impact more people, how important this is. And the things that you've just shared not only impact, again, your human resources, your internal team, but also how you engage with your customers and how you're remembered and how you're recognized. And that actual definition of a team almost gets blurred because people that work with you in your business, your clients, become enrolled in this same vision that you've been bringing together.
I would love to know. How can somebody lay a foundation? They're starting early in their business. There's a lot they can do to work with. What can they do right now to start laying the bricks for this vision for this kind of culture that empowers, inspires, and builds trust on a team, which is so rare and so needed today?
Scott Mann:
That's a great question. I would just say that, first of all, so that I inform the perspective of any new business owner, entrepreneur, a startup out there that are listening to this. I would say what I'm about to tell you is what I learned in building hundreds of teams in special ops, and training other folks to do that. But also, I've built my own business in real estate. I built my own business as a speaker and trainer. I've been on that journey. I'm still on that journey. But I can tell you that what I'm about to share is what I've experienced in building high performing cultures and coaching in that realm.
The first thing is I think you've got to know where you're going. Having a vision, and better yet having a purposeful vision that is tied to something bigger than yourself. Right? If you are purely transactional in your endeavor, my personal opinion is you're going to run out of steam, or somebody's going to roll a grenade in the room with you, one of the two. It's going to happen. In my first line of work, that was literal. In my second line of work, it's metaphorical. But it's the same thing. If you operate purely by transaction, you live and die by that mindset. And most people nowadays, that's all they do. And if you look at most of the thought leaders, that's all they talk about is, if you do this, you'll be rich. If you do this, you'll make seven figures. Right?
And I just believe that what people follow, especially Kyle, in a trust depleted, high stakes environment, we follow relevant leaders who are driven by purpose and serving something bigger than themselves. We can smell it. It's primal. And when we see that, we're drawn to it. That would be the first thing, is tap into that. And figure out what tracks you want to leave behind with this work that you're doing. And if you can't think of anything, I would really ask you to step back and ask yourself if you're doing what you really are here to do. That would be number one.
The second thing that I would say is, you've got to know where you've been. And I think getting clear on your story, knowing your backstory, your personal narrative, your own hero's journey. What is it? And being able to articulate that hero's journey in the context of how you communicate to other people about who you are and what you're building. That would be number two. First, know where you're going. Two is know where you've been, through your own story. And I'd say the third thing that is really, really important in building a business is to connect with other human beings one at a time and meet people where they are. If I learned anything as a Green Beret in these really rough places was I've elbowed my way into plenty of communities, and forced my way into situations and coerced and all that. And it never worked. Not once did it really work for the long haul.
And I think the same is true in business. If you want to inspire people to go to the rooftop, I think you've got to connect one at a time. And the best way to do that is just meet people where they are, not where you want them to be. And just make one connection at a time and build that thing out from the bottom up. And before too long, you'll look around and you've got something that actually has some momentum to it. And again, I realize all of those are very right-brained, kind of humanistic ways of thinking about it. But there's plenty of stuff out there on business transactions, so I won't waste any time there. But those are three things. I'll just throw a bonus in there. Nobody wins alone. Right? I've never seen anyone go down the road of building something on their own with a team. Right? And whether that team is 1099 contractors, or your clients, or your family, or whatever, building a high performing team that trusts each other, that feels safe and connected, is essential to always kind of success.
Kyle Gray:
I think that's incredible. One of the things that stood out to me, that I love as a storyteller, is you mentioned in step two, getting clear on your own story, getting clear on where you've come from. A lot of people that I work with and I've talked to feel that they don't have that much of a story, or that it's not that unique or powerful. A lot of us haven't done things, adventures like you have.
Scott Mann:
Sure.
Kyle Gray:
And so I'm wondering. What are some of the questions you ask or exercises you go through to bring out the story and to show the people you work with how to apply it to their vision?
Scott Mann:
Right. I get that a lot when I teach storytelling. People will say, "I don't have a story." Right? And I think it's sad in the sense that it's kind of where our society has gone, is that people would actually say that about their life. And it's just not true. I've found that often the people who say that have some of the coolest stories on the planet. And the other thing is that there is this notion of, okay. Well, my story isn't as compelling as that. Or my story isn't as adventurous as that. So we self-edit, we pull back, and we don't tell our story at all because we don't think it's as good as this other person's story.
My caution on that would be is that, first of all, you've got to know. I said humans are the most meaning-seeking, emotional, social creatures on the planet. We are also story creatures. Our brain is actually wired to process information exclusively through story, only through story. If you show someone a PowerPoint deck, you're just going to piss them off. And you're actually just going to make their brain work harder. Our brain is actually wired for the last 100,000 years to process all raw data through story because it adds meaning, memory, context, and emotion to the hard decisions we have to make. It's a sense-making tool, according to Kendall Haven.
Think about that for a second. The biology says we've got to have story to make a decision, so you are a storyteller, no matter what you think about your stories. The other thing is, one of the most popular stories I tell in corporate America is about my grandfather, I called him Papaw Mann, swinging across a big ravine on a grapevine when he was 82 years old. And it was my last time in the woods with him. And I revered this man as a mentor and just a hero of mine. My last memory of him is swinging across this huge ravine on a grapevine when all the other young men had done it on a dare. And we were actually walking around to help him find a place to cross. Right? And I can just remember him blazing across that thing yelling like a little kid. And I tell that story because it reminded me that you really are only as old as you feel and that you're never done teaching people the power of life. And when I tell that story, everybody's kind of grinning and laughing.
I was like, "How hard was that to tell that story?" Think about a moment in your life that was a touchpoint where, was a little moment, but was a big moment, and it stuck with you whether that was a family moment or moment with a friend. And I have them write that down for two minutes and share it. And every time, the whole energy in the room changes. People are laughing. I think we overthink story time. I think we make it too hard sometimes, too left brained. We have thousands of stories in us. And as long as they come from the heart and they matter to us, they'll matter to others. There's a quote that says, "What's personal is universal." And I think that's absolutely true when it comes to story. So don't overthink it, and don't think that it has to be some Earth changing thing.
What’s personal is universal
Kyle Gray:
I think that's so great. Yeah. That's something I touch on a lot. If you were speaking, like you do often, the goal isn't to have people come up to you and be like, "Wow. That was the most incredible story I ever heard. I could never imagine that." It's you want people to come up to you and be like, "Oh, yeah. I experienced that with my grandfather too." Or, "I learned the same thing." They want to have a “me too I can relate to this person,” moment. Again, that's building trust. And that's what storytelling is. We're not trying to make Hollywood movies here.
Scott Mann:
No. No. People listen to stories autobiographically. And I think that's a little-known fact, is that's why we love storytellers so much, is that we actually locate ourselves in the stories of others. If you think about that for a second, that's pretty amazing. I mean, that's how you close trust gaps in the world, is you create an environment that's so safe that other people can process their own life right in the safety of your story. I call it the generosity of scars, where you can take your trauma, your pain, your most unpleasant memories, and you can tell them in the service of others in such a way that people can actually locate themselves in your story and find their own way out of that, and find their own resolution in things that they're dealing with.
It happens every day. That's why we go to the movies. That's why we love to read. It's why we love TED X Talks. And so it's one of the greatest forms of generosity and leadership on the planet. And it's actually the stuff that often is the hardest to talk about, but it's the stuff that's just total gold in leadership.
The reason we love stories is that they give us a safe environment in which to locate ourselves within the story and a means to find our own resolutions
Kyle Gray:
That is incredible and so, so beautiful. Yeah. I think a lot of us, again, in this kind of world of social media, and just kind of on and offline, we're always trying to be as buttoned up as possible, and look all shiny and untouched by the world. But yeah, there is a real treasure in our past and in our scars. And again, that's what really allows people to put their defenses down and move forward.
Scott Mann:
For sure. For sure.
Kyle Gray:
Something I'd love to kind of close this episode out, there's been this theme of mentorship. You started a mentorship story. You touched on it again several times. And I think that this is really a big message that anybody listening, no matter where they are in their lives can really relate to. How can we become better mentors? It doesn't necessarily have to be with somebody in our business. But how do we live as a mentor? And how can we give these gifts that you have started to share with us and cultivate us into the world and into the people that we touch in all areas of our lives?
Scott Mann:
Yeah. How do we become better mentors? I think it goes back to just serving the purpose that you define for your life or that you ... I don't even think you define it. I think it's gifted to you. It's about allowing yourself to connect to it, and continuing to try to find it. I believe that if we work to get clear on our higher purpose and what it is that we're serving, and we do that work honestly and truthfully, we will be presented so many opportunities to mentor and serve others, that it's immeasurable. And I'm always amazed by how those show up in my life. And it's usually when I need it the most, where I need it like I'm in my head, or I'm worried about what I'm doing, or what's going on with me. And then I'm gifted this perspective of another person who could really use a hand up at that moment, or just a kind word, or whatever, or some perspective.
And it pulls you out of that dark place. Right? And so I think it's just a matter of really working to get clear on serving others, and then making yourself available to do it, and not getting so caught up in the day to day rat race and the programmatic of life that we forget that. I don't know, maybe losing 23 friends in combat caused me to arrive at that a little bit earlier than others. I think we all maybe figure that out. Or I hope we do later in our life. But for whatever reason, it's been gifted to me earlier in my life. And I just believe it. I think that if we just focus on our purpose, serve something bigger than ourselves, and make ourselves available, those mentorship opportunities will show up left and right. The question is: Will you take them? The question is: Will you set aside what you've got to do I that moment right there and actually take an extra moment?
And it's usually small things. It's usually those touchpoint moments. It's not some big mentorship program or some formal thing. It's putting your hand on somebody's shoulder and really hearing what they're saying. Right? Meeting them where they are, and seeing if you can help them figure out a way to get there, and maybe sticking around a little longer to see if they do. That's how I tried to lead as a Green Beret. And I think that it's very relevant in our world today.
Kyle Gray:
Absolutely. And yeah, I feel touched because I feel like you have mentored me through this process, and all of our everybody listening today.
Scott Mann:
Thank you.
Kyle Gray:
Incredible, incredible gifts with your story, and I'm so excited to see how you continue to change the world from stages, online, and everywhere where you touch people. For people who are really resonating with you, want to learn more about you and some of the things you're up to, where can we connect with you?
Scott Mann:
Well, the best place to connect is rooftopleadership.com. And there's a ton of video blogs that we do out there on this kind of stuff, interpersonal connection skills, leadership, high-performance building teams. And they're all free. The other thing that I would ask people to do is go to ... We're putting a lot of this into a play. For me, telling the story of warriors and their families that have gone through the longest war in our history, a lot of these lessons we're talking about, Kyle, we're bringing to the stage. And on November 10th, we're doing a debut of Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret. I would love if anybody is interested to go to lastoutplay.com. And check it out. If you can come to Tampa on November 10th at 7:00 PM and watch the play, we'd love to have you. But if not, keep your eyes peeled because we're going to be bringing it on tour across the country. And we'd love to have you in the room.
Kyle Gray:
What a unique artistic expression. Thank you for sharing that all, and we'll make sure to get this episode published in time so that anybody in Tampa or nearby may hear about it and be aware. Scott, thank you so much. It's been so much fun, such an honor, and such a pleasure speaking with you today. Thanks for joining us on The Story Engine Podcast.
Scott Mann:
My pleasure, Kyle. Take care, buddy.
Kyle Gray:
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