The Quiet Power of the Empathetic Leader with Navy SEAL turned rowing coach Gordon Schmidt

When morale problems affect a team, some leaders decide to make a big, rousing speech. But quite often, it’s the quiet leader who leads with empathy that sees a better emotional solution. Gordon Schmidt is a retired Navy SEAL with enough combat experience to understand that empathy is an operational advantage, not a weakness. After 20 years of military service, he started his second act as a high school rowing coach. According to Gordo, be it coaching rowers or leading soldiers, the emotional lessons he’s learned about leadership apply just the same. In this conversation, Gordo shares with me how to move on into a new chapter in life and why emotional intelligence in high-stress situations is often a leader’s only way out. This…is A Bit of Optimism. For more on Gordon and his work, check out: https://www.sdrcjrs.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=71827&module_id=151617 --------------------------- This episode is brought to you by True Classic! I really love their T-shirts, so we called them up and asked if they wanted to work together. And they said yes! Check out their clothes at: http://trueclassictees.com/ --------------------------- ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 From Navy SEAL to rowing coach 6:57 SEAL Teams and crew teams 9:58 The pain of leaving the SEALs 17:08 Coach Gordon tells a rowing story 24:00 The culture of SEAL Teams 29:07 Different types of grit 30:48 Why Simon hates writing books 33:08 Ad with Authenticity: True Classic 34:58 Why people quit BUD/S (SEAL training) 39:52 When leaders quit, what happens to a team? + + + Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game. + + + Website: http://simonsinek.com/ Live Online Classes: https://simonsinek.com/classes/ Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Simon’s books: The Infinite Game: https://simonsinek.com/books/the-infinite-game/ Start With Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why/ Find Your Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/find-your-why/ Leaders Eat Last: https://simonsinek.com/books/leaders-eat-last/ Together is Better: https://simonsinek.com/books/together-is-better/ + + + #SimonSinek

Simon SinekhostGordon Schmidtguest

Jul 1, 20251h 9mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: July 1, 2025
Duration: 1h 9m
Channel: Simon Sinek
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

When morale problems affect a team, some leaders decide to make a big, rousing speech. But quite often, it’s the quiet leader who leads with empathy that sees a better emotional solution. Gordon Schmidt is a retired Navy SEAL with enough combat experience to understand that empathy is an operational advantage, not a weakness. After 20 years of military service, he started his second act as a high school rowing coach. According to Gordo, be it coaching rowers or leading soldiers, the emotional lessons he’s learned about leadership apply just the same. In this conversation, Gordo shares with me how to move on into a new chapter in life and why emotional intelligence in high-stress situations is often a leader’s only way out. This…is A Bit of Optimism. For more on Gordon and his work, check out: https://www.sdrcjrs.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=71827&module_id=151617 --------------------------- This episode is brought to you by True Classic! I really love their T-shirts, so we called them up and asked if they wanted to work together. And they said yes! Check out their clothes at: http://trueclassictees.com/ --------------------------- ⏰ Timestamps 0:00 From Navy SEAL to rowing coach 6:57 SEAL Teams and crew teams 9:58 The pain of leaving the SEALs 17:08 Coach Gordon tells a rowing story 24:00 The culture of SEAL Teams 29:07 Different types of grit 30:48 Why Simon hates writing books 33:08 Ad with Authenticity: True Classic 34:58 Why people quit BUD/S (SEAL training) 39:52 When leaders quit, what happens to a team? + + + Simon is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Simon has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do. Simon is the author of multiple best-selling books including Start With Why, Leaders Eat Last, Together is Better, and The Infinite Game. + + + Website: http://simonsinek.com/ Live Online Classes: https://simonsinek.com/classes/ Podcast: http://apple.co/simonsinek Instagram: https://instagram.com/simonsinek/ Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/simonsinek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonsinek Simon’s books: The Infinite Game: https://simonsinek.com/books/the-infinite-game/ Start With Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why/ Find Your Why: https://simonsinek.com/books/find-your-why/ Leaders Eat Last: https://simonsinek.com/books/leaders-eat-last/ Together is Better: https://simonsinek.com/books/together-is-better/ + + + #SimonSinek

SPEAKERS

Simon Sinek
host
Leadership author and speaker, host of the podcast “A Bit of Optimism.”
Gordon Schmidt
guest
Retired U.S. Navy SEAL and rowing coach (San Diego Rowing Club).

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Simon Sinek, featuring Simon Sinek and Gordon Schmidt, The Quiet Power of the Empathetic Leader with Navy SEAL turned rowing coach Gordon Schmidt explores empathy, purpose, and team culture shape quiet leadership under pressure Schmidt describes leaving the SEAL Teams as an intense loss of brotherhood and identity, and explains how accepting grief—rather than numbing it—helped him move forward.

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