Tony and Mr. Alan Wilson discuss how the military helps to shape leadership, the importance of good habits, and finding your special talent. Some highlights from the interview are as follows:

• In second term as South Carolina’s Attorney General. Elected in 2010 as the youngest SC AG.
• 20-year National Guard veteran and currently providing legal support as a Lt. Colonel in the Judge Advocate General Corps.
• Leadership is not about perks or privileges, it is about service.
• Young leaders make the mistake by surrounding themselves with people who are not as smart or as motivated as them. You need to shed your ego and surround yourself with the very best people.
• The most important thing for a leader is to recognize your job is not to be better than your subordinates, but put them in the best possible position to achieve the goals of your office or company.
• It is hard to unlearn bad habits, so you want to learn under a mentor who will instill good habits.
• A great mentor has the potential to change the trajectory of your life and career.
• You can learn from anyone. You can always learn what not to do from someone, as well as, what to do.
• “Success is a good teacher, failure is a greater teacher.”
• Don’t be afraid to add people to your team who have failed before because they have a greater sense of urgency to succeed as oppose to someone who has never failed.
• Leaders should have high emotional intelligence – being self-aware. Everyone has a special talent: find it and utilize it.
• Every human being has a weakness, knowing what that weakness is makes you strong.
• “Toxic leadership is not leadership because leadership is not toxic.” If you believe there is something toxic in an organization, it is imperative that it is addressed with a positive attitude.
• As a leader, you need to be able to accept constructive criticism, if not, maybe you’re the problem.
• Live your life without regrets. Ask yourself the question: if I do not do what I am thinking about doing now, in 20 years will I regret it? If yes, change your thinking to not if, but how to do it.

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