S5:E177🎙️ LIVE with CWO5 David L. Sledge, USN (Ret.)

S5:E177🎙️ LIVE with CWO5 David L. Sledge, USN (Ret.)

LIVE TOMORROW: From E-1 to CWO5 — Leadership Forged Through Service, Patience & Purpose ⚓️🇺🇸🫡

Mark your calendars for Leadership & Success Podcast with Coach BZ — Season 5, Episode 177

 

After 33 years of distinguished service in the United States Navy, David's remarkable journey took him from an enlisted Sailor working in ordnance and weapons to Chief Warrant Officer 5—the Navy's highest warrant officer paygrade. Along the way, he developed deep expertise in Surface Warfare, weapons, ordnance readiness, logistics, command and control, and the development of Sailors and leaders.

Today, David continues the mission as Founder & CEO of Sledge Collective, executive leadership coach, organizational strategist, keynote speaker, mentor, and author. At the heart of his work is a beautifully simple leadership philosophy:

“Greet One. Meet One. Teach One.” 🤝

 

📅 Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026

⏰ Time: 10:00 AM PT (San Francisco/Chula Vista, CA) | 1:00 PM ET (Washington, D.C.)

📍 LIVE on LinkedIn → RSVP & Join the Discussion!

📚 THREE BOOKS. ONE LEADERSHIP JOURNEY.

Our conversation will explore three powerful dimensions of David's leadership philosophy through his books:

📘 Leadership Alchemy: Forging Great Leaders

David explores how leaders are forged—not merely born—through experience, character, communication, vision, mentorship, adversity, and ultimately legacy.

🙏🏽 Embrace Blessings: Trusting the Process and Finding Purpose

A deeply personal exploration of faith, gratitude, perseverance, the power of our words, trusting God's process, and discovering purpose through both blessings and adversity.

⏳ Hurry Up and Wait: Embracing Patience in a Fast-Paced World

David transforms a phrase every service member knows into a leadership principle: patience is active, not passive. He applies it to decision-making, marriage, parenting, career advancement, adversity, faith, military transition, and life after retirement.

 

🎯 WHAT YOU WILL LEARN…

✨ How a young man from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, journeyed from E-1 to CWO5 across an extraordinary 33-year Navy career.

✨ Why great leaders aren't simply born—they are forged in the crucible of experience.

✨ How competence, character, integrity, courage, empathy, resilience, and accountability shape credible leaders.

✨ Why David believes listening may be one of leadership's most forgotten skills.

✨ How mentors changed David's trajectory—and why successful leaders have an obligation to develop those coming behind them.

✨ What “Greet One. Meet One. Teach One.” can teach us about networking, mentorship, relationships, and human connection.

✨ How to trust the process when the process doesn't make sense.

✨ Why our words can become either weapons or instruments of encouragement in the lives of the people we lead.

✨ Why patience is a leadership strength—not passivity.

✨ Why leadership eventually moves from success to significance—and from achievement to legacy.

💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

🗺️ Where are you tuning in from? Drop your city, region, or country in the comments!

🙏🏽 What is one thing you are grateful for today?

💬 Got leadership, mentorship, military-transition, patience, purpose, or networking questions for David? Post them below — we will answer them LIVE!

⸻

👇 YOUR TURN:

➡️ What are your three takeaways from this episode?

➡️ What's one leadership insight you're applying this week?

➡️ Tag a colleague, Sailor, junior officer, veteran, emerging leader, or teammate who could benefit from this conversation. ❤️🙏🏾

Because perhaps David's three books collectively remind us of something every leader eventually discovers:

Great leaders are FORGED. 🔥

Purpose requires TRUST. 🙏🏽

Growth requires PATIENCE. ⏳

And leadership ultimately requires SERVICE. ⚓️

Greet One. Meet One. Teach One.

See you LIVE! 🎙️⚓️🇺🇸🫡

#LeadershipAndSuccess #CoachBZ #Leadership #USNavy