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The Green Beret Way Podcast

The Green Beret Way Podcast

Written by: Robert Schaefer
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I’m Robert W. Schaefer—retired Green Beret, senior diplomat, and leadership strategist. With 40+ years advising heads of state, top military leaders, and Fortune 500 execs. I now bring Special Forces leadership tactics to business, teams, and life.


Learn how to think fast, lead strong, and execute like an elite operator.


Follow for powerful strategies from my upcoming book, The Green Beret Way: Leading Elite Teams Under Adverse Conditions.

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Robert Schaefer Economics
Episodes
  • The Green Beret Way: The Firefighter vs Fire Starter Mindset

    The Green Beret Way: The Firefighter vs Fire Starter Mindset
    Oct 15 2026

    AI is shrinking the time between a threat and an attack. Rob Schaefer and Brian von Kraus, CEO of Firewatch Solutions, discuss why reactive leadership keeps teams a step behind—and how to build systems that prevent crises. Learn how shared ownership, trust, diverse perspectives, and practical planning help organizations protect people and stay resilient.
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • The Green Beret Way: How to Stress Test Your Team’s Trust with Jere Widhalm

    The Green Beret Way: How to Stress Test Your Team’s Trust with Jere Widhalm
    Sep 7 2026

    Host Robert Schaefer speaks with Jere Widhalm, a retired US Navy Warrant Officer and founder of D&W Marine Systems Management. Widhalm discusses shifting his leadership approach from a controlling supervisor to an elite leader who empowers others. From a $25,000 submarine valve mistake to testing his multi-million dollar company's autonomy via a 6,000-mile motorcycle trip, Jere proves that true success requires creating a successor.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • The Green Beret Way: Driving Digital Transformation through Endogenous Leadership with Eduardo Ortiz

    The Green Beret Way: Driving Digital Transformation through Endogenous Leadership with Eduardo Ortiz
    Aug 26 2026

    In this episode of The Green Beret Way, host Robert Schaefer sits down with Marine Corps combat veteran and Coforma co-founder, Eduardo Ortiz. They dive deep into decentralized command, shifting leadership paradigms from "follow me" to "set them free," and the realities of driving meaningful digital transformation inside massive federal bureaucracies.
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    57 mins
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