Lessons from the Arrest of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, with Colonel CJ Williams, USMC, Ret.

Описание: In this episode of The Dirty Side of Leadership, Kristin Sokoloff and Ron Ward examine the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro through a leadership lens—not politics. This was a high-risk, high-precision operation requiring elite planning, intelligence coordination, discipline, and accountability.

Joining the conversation is Colonel CJ Williams, United States Marine Corps (Ret.), who brings over three decades of infantry and strategic leadership experience to unpack what missions like this actually require—and what civilian leaders can learn from them.

Together, they explore:

What complex operations look like behind the scenes
The role of discipline, rehearsals, and command clarity
Leadership under extreme pressure and political sensitivity
Moral courage, accountability, and trust in high-stakes environments
Why isolation at the top ultimately exposes leaders
Leadership lessons for executives, organizations, and public servants
This episode is a reminder that real leadership isn’t about power—it’s about responsibility when failure is not an option.


Guest Bio: Colonel CJ Williams, USMC (Ret.)

Colonel CJ Williams is originally from Port Huron, Michigan. He served 32 years as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps (1989–2021), commanding at every level from platoon to regiment. His combat deployments include Somalia, Afghanistan (two tours), and Iraq (two tours).

His final active-duty assignment was Chief of Staff at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. After retiring, he relocated to the Charleston, South Carolina area and currently serves as Director of the South Carolina Veterans Business Outreach Center at The Tommy & Victoria Baker School of Business at The Citadel, where he assists veterans and their spouses in starting and growing businesses.

Colonel Williams also serves on the boards of five nonprofit organizations in the Charleston area, focusing on veteran advocacy, leadership development, ethics, and self-employment. His work supports at-risk veterans, reduces recidivism, and strengthens regional economic vitality.

He holds a master’s degree in National Security Studies from the Naval War College and a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Western Michigan University.

Where leadership meets entertainment! This weekly podcast takes both a humorous and intense look at leadership through impactful stories, answers to listener questions, and breakdowns of dirty lessons from Ron's best selling book, "The Dirty Side of Leadership".

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