Leadership Lessons Veterans Bring To The Civilian Workforce

Forbes

09-05-2025

Scott Graybeal, CEO of Caelux, a solar energy innovator in perovskites to make solar energy more powerful and cost effective.
The U.S. military has more than two million active duty and reserve troops serving vital roles across the country's six military branches. Every year, over 200,000 recruits will join their ranks, undergoing rigorous training and discipline to prepare them for the challenges of military service.
Many of these recruits will become leaders in their respective branches of service, creating a pool of competent, tested talent to support the needs of companies across the spectrum.
I served in the '90s as a nuclear submarine officer (a "nuke"), got my "fish" (gold dolphins), and survived engineer qualification. It was a job where I had a lot of responsibility at a very young age. It was a humbling experience that I am very grateful to have had.
I will try to be as general as possible, but each service has its own valuable customs and traditions shaped by its history and unique contributions to national security. Over the last three decades, I have seen similar characteristics in veterans from other branches as well as those in foreign militaries.
Time has provided a useful lens to the contributions that veterans can make to an organization. My experience offers a framework for veterans looking to translate their skills into the private sector and for business leaders looking to leverage these team members to enhance the performance of their respective organizations.
Military veterans bring a wealth of leadership experience and skills to the civilian workforce. These attributes are highly relevant to the challenges faced by modern organizations. Here are just a few.
Communication has topped LinkedIn's Most In-Demand Skills report for the past two years, as it becomes more challenging to communicate effectively across teams and within organizations.
In the submarine force, communication can run the gamut of "Make sure the ship is spotless for the Commodore's visit" written in the Captain's night orders to a blaring announcement over the ship's public address system highlighting dangers and actions the crew needs to precisely execute within seconds to either strike the enemy or safeguard the ship.
Veterans are overall skilled at conveying complex information in a way most people can understand. They also tend to excel at active listening and feedback. They tend to respond quickly and communicate rather tersely but will do what is necessary to see the job through.
• Insight: People who learned to communicate in the service can often come across as stiff and sometimes get defensive when clarification is needed. Some veterans can default to the "because I said so" mentality when giving direction.
• Civilian Leaders: Embrace the positive and coach them on ways to establish a more human connection when communicating and the importance of follow-up. Following up is not about trust; it's about alignment.
• Vets: Resources are likely not matched with expected outcomes. Take a minute to really understand the task to be accomplished and communicate shortcomings to your boss. If you come from a community where resources were scarce, tap into that creativity that you honed and present your ideas fearlessly.
Modern organizations of all sizes and in every sector face unique challenges, from the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) to general political or economic uncertainty, which requires organization-wide adaptability and resilient problem-solving.
In the same way, even as its bedrock mission remains the same, the military constantly changes, modernizes and adapts, requiring veterans to stay agile and adaptable to new situations and challenges.
• Insight: Many service people will take on any challenge and do their best to rise to the occasion, but they may overestimate their knowledge in a business context or fail to secure buy-in from supporting organizations.
• Civilian Leaders: Be mindful that the vet's enthusiasm is matched to the task. Ask pointed questions about requirements and resources, and ensure that they are realistically connected.
• Vets: The stakes are not usually as high as they were in the service. You may find boredom set in, leading to a sense of unfulfillment. Veterans should keep in mind that while it may not be life or death, they are in a job because they have proven they can accomplish difficult tasks. Find the elements that connect your work to the bigger picture.
No matter how great a leader is, teams and organizations are ultimately successful because of the input and efforts from the entire team. That's why great leaders aren't just commanders. They are connectors, collaborators and consensus builders.
The military is a team-oriented environment, and veterans are experts at working together to achieve common goals. As a result, veterans with leadership experience have had the opportunity to experiment with their leadership style while learning from other skilled leaders, refining their approach by observing both optimal styles as well as what not to do.
• Insight: Generally, vets have experience in consultative decision-making where inputs are considered but the boss makes the final call.
• Civilian Leaders: Generally, the style of leadership that your service veterans are used to may differ from your own. Vets on your team will get frustrated if you are the kind of person who only moves when there is 100% consensus. This approach may work in your company, but recognize that this may be a point of discomfort for your vet. To help with veteran engagement, assign your veterans projects that add value to the team, but maintain consistent touchpoints to ensure they stay on track.
• Veterans: Fearlessly examine your military leadership experience and take inventory of your wins and losses. Your losses, if properly processed, will provide you with wisdom beyond your years of corporate experience; the hard part will be to develop a hybrid model that fits into the business world.
Military service veterans often possess skills and experiences that belie their age. Organizations can achieve their goals by embracing these young leaders and supporting them by coaching, listening and providing opportunities for growth.
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