Episode 143

full
Published on:

9th Jul 2025

Leadership Beyond Rank: Human Connection in the Military - Enrique Acosta, CEO, Author, Podcast Host

Summary:

Have you ever wondered if or how human connection happens in the military? For someone that's never been in the military like myself, I've often thought the military is about a chain of command and an order structure. That's it. You follow orders or else. Human connection and order seem to be opposing forces. But today's guest says that's not always the case. People get sold on staying or leaving the military by the people they report to.

Today I interviewed Enrique Acosta Gonzalez, a leadership expert and former Navy veteran. We discuss the importance of human connection in leadership, the transition from military to civilian leadership, and the significance of building trust and relationships. Enrique shares his experiences in the military, the impact of different leadership styles of his commanding officers, and how authenticity plays a crucial role in effective leadership. We touch on the concept of 'selling by being human' in the military and in his current practice of coaching his clients. This is for you if you've ever wondered how these skills show up in any of these places!

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Human Connection

02:56 The Military's Human Element in Leadership

06:06 Building Trust and Relationships in Leadership

09:07 The Impact of Leadership Styles

11:59 Lessons from Military Leadership Experiences

15:05 Transitioning from Military to Civilian Leadership

20:07 The Importance of Authenticity in Leadership

24:00: Selling by Being Human in his current role

26:54 Nurturing Relationships for Long-Term Success

31:59 Working with Strong-Willed Leaders

36:44 Final Thoughts on Leadership and Legacy

Connect with Enrique:

Connect with Us!

Show artwork for Sell By Being Human

About the Podcast

Sell By Being Human
On the Sell By Being Human podcast, award-winning sales professional Alex Smith provides the proven way to harness your innate human skills like empathy, curiosity, and kindness to learn how to sell and navigate the sales journey.
This is where human connection and sales meet. You may be someone whose success depends on influence, negotiation, and your ability to create change, but you may reject aggressive sales tactics. Maybe you feel stuck in corporate "autopilot," knowing your best asset is your genuine personality, but you struggle to use it to get what you want. Then this channel is for you.

It will teach you how to close the gap between wanting to be ethical and feeling pressured to sell aggressively. You’ll also learn actionable strategies for translating emotional intelligence into high-trust results. Join Alex and top guests, including NY Times bestsellers, keynote speakers, and global founders, as they prove that being truly human is the ultimate sales advantage.

About your host

Profile picture for Alex Smith

Alex Smith

Alex Smith is a seasoned sales professional and podcast host who champions a human-first approach to selling. With nearly two decades of experience, he explores how empathy, curiosity, and genuine connection drive influence in everyday life. Through his podcast, he highlights stories from people across all professions, showing that anyone can persuade and create impact simply by being human.