Retired four-star general and former commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, Gen. Stan McChrystal, gave the keynote address at the closing session of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Convention. Overcoming adversity both in the military and as civilians was his focus and how important that is in becoming a strong leader.
“When an organization is small it learns very quickly. Over time it continues to learn, but not as fast and it starts to level out,” said McChrystal. “But our society continues to change and the weight of that change has sped up. This leads to a gap that I like to call the adaptability gap.”
He shared the military’s struggle to escape the adaptability gap after tragic events. Including after September 11th. He attributes the combination of team work and cooperation for the military’s ability to adapt to change.
“The best teams that I’ve ever been in, and I’ve been in a lot, are just people like all of us,” McChrystal said. “They have the same hopes, fears, strengths and weaknesses, but when they come together something magical happens and that’s leadership.”
Listen to an excerpt from Gen. McChrystal’s address here: Gen. Stan McChrystal Keynote Address