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Is it naive to accentuate leadership with a future employer?


Mark Steiner Fairfax, VA

The context of my question stems from the training I have had in human trafficking prevention, sexual harassment prevention, sexual assault prevention, suicide prevention, etc.

5 November 2018 2 replies Leadership & Management



Rob Pianka Lancaster, PA

Dear Captain Steiner,

Throwing Philip's wise caution to the wind I am going to assume (based on reading your Profile) that you could run most of the organizations that interest you.

That does put you in a delicate position as you approach an organization. One, you won't have any experience in the organization. Your claim that you will be able to lead their civilian organization will be based on having led some other organization...and a military one at that. Two, your path towards getting that experience may be blocked by the good folks already in the organization who are likely to see you as a career threat.

My gut feeling is that if you are not being interviewed by a Board that wants groom and/or assert new leadership you will be "taking a knife to a gun fight"...on someone else's turf. Not necessarily a problem: you don't want lots of interviews, you want the right interviews. If you want to lead you will have to interview for the leading role, not for an employee role.

Trusting that I'm not way off base here,

Rob Pianka


Philip Steffes Waterville, MN

Dear Captain Steiner, I don't understand the association between your question and the context you've given. What was your leadership role in the training you listed? Is your question related to information you plan to provide in a resume? I'll be glad to help if I can, but I need more information regarding the reason for your question. Feel free to contact me at if you care to.

Thank you for your service.


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