This week we chat with Raymond Kemp, a total boss who overcame racism to become a Navy legend and successful entrepreneur. He'll show you how to turn those setbacks into leadership superpowers.
Overcoming barriers: We'll hear Raymond's story, from facing discrimination to leading across multiple presidencies
Leadership for everyone: Forget fancy suits, these lessons apply to any team or even your friend group.
Building a better future: Learn how to lead with integrity, inspire others, and make a real difference.
This ain't just another boring leadership talk. It's a call to action! Raymond's got the wisdom to help you become the leader you were meant to be.
This episode is brought to you by Premier Ridge Capital.
Sign Up for our Newsletter and get our FREE E-Book where you'll learn everything you need to know about creating financial freedom through multifamily syndication.
Visit www.premierridgecapital.com now!
Introducing the 60 Day Deal Finder!
Visit: www.MartinREIMastery.com
Use the Coupon Code: WEALTHYAFfor 20% off!
This episode is brought to you by Premier Ridge Capital.
Build Generational Wealth As A Passive Investor In Multifamily Real Estate Syndication!
Visit www.premierridgecapital.com to find out more.
This week we chat with Raymond Kemp, a total boss who overcame racism to become a Navy legend and successful entrepreneur. He'll show you how to turn those setbacks into leadership superpowers.
Overcoming barriers: We'll hear Raymond's story, from facing discrimination to leading across multiple presidencies
Leadership for everyone: Forget fancy suits, these lessons apply to any team or even your friend group.
Building a better future: Learn how to lead with integrity, inspire others, and make a real difference.
This ain't just another boring leadership talk. It's a call to action! Raymond's got the wisdom to help you become the leader you were meant to be.
This episode is brought to you by Premier Ridge Capital.
Sign Up for our Newsletter and get our FREE E-Book where you'll learn everything you need to know about creating financial freedom through multifamily syndication.
Visit www.premierridgecapital.com now!
Introducing the 60 Day Deal Finder!
Visit: www.MartinREIMastery.com
Use the Coupon Code: WEALTHYAFfor 20% off!
This episode is brought to you by Premier Ridge Capital.
Build Generational Wealth As A Passive Investor In Multifamily Real Estate Syndication!
Visit www.premierridgecapital.com to find out more.
Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Wealthy AF, the podcast where we cut through the BS and teach you what it truly means to be Wealthy AF. And today's topic is going to be the value of leaders, intentionality building, resilience and loyalty with their teams. And today's guest is the Honorable Raymond Kemp, which is a retired Navy. Right, we have a true leader here 33 years in the Navy. He was a fleet master chief, so he knows a little something about leadership. Raymond is a highly accomplished leader, appointed by President Biden to the American Battle Monuments Commission. He is also the CEO of ChemSolutions LLC and, with his extensive experience as a US Navy Fleet Master Chief, Certified John Maxwell Speaker and Coach, RBLP Trainer and Y Institute Coach, Raymond is a well-known keynote speaker. Brother, welcome to the podcast. Really appreciate you being here.
Speaker 2:Thank you very much. It's an honor to be here with you and with your listeners. Looking forward to the conversation today. Outstanding.
Speaker 1:Let's go back to the Navy, right where I believe and you correct me if I'm wrong with your story where I believe, maybe, that your true leadership skills got developed. Tell us why did you join the Navy. Tell us that story. How did that go about?
Speaker 2:I grew up in Oklahoma. I'm born in the great nation of Texas, raised in Oklahoma, and I had an uncle amongst seven aunts and in the 70s, when I grew up, high blood pressure was highly talked about. I mean, all my aunts would go off to work in the summertime. I'd be staying with my cousin and my uncle. He would stay home and I thought to myself well, that's the job I want. They're going off and doing all this work. I'd much rather just be at home telling the kids to go pick up some twigs from underneath the tree and bring in baby carrots from the garden. And I discovered that what happened? And he had already done the work. He was a military, he had served he was a Montfer Point Marine, by the way, and had served over 30 years himself in the military. And I thought well, that's a pathway that I'm interested in. And so I took the test.
Speaker 2:The Navy Oklahoma's a landlocked state, by the way, so it's weird for a person from Oklahoma, you know to go to the Navy. But the recruiter for the Navy was very aggressive and provided me with great information. It was the right way to go and so I left my home at 17 after I graduated from high school, joined the world's finest Navy, and a lot of the things that made me the young man that I was at the time came from being raised by a single mother, who was an absolute fierce angel, and my aunt and my grandmother I mentioned to you before, and so I had seen what leadership looked like, and I was an athlete, and so I joined the Navy. I had the opportunity to lead from the fourth day in the Navy, just by volunteering to be a squad leader, and it was there that my skill set was honed into something usable within so what year did you join?
Speaker 2:I joined in 1986. It just so happened to be the same year that Martin Luther King's birthday became a holiday and strangely, it was still a very discriminatory time. So if you think about 20 years before that, 1966, well, that level of the people who were in high-level leadership positions that's when they joined they still had that mindset.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that leads to my next question. So how does a person of color, how did you deal with the discrimination and the racism in the environment at that time, and how does a person of color rise to the level of rank that you did, especially of the beginning?
Speaker 2:just some of the things that I endured. So I got to my first shift. It was an aircraft carrier in Philadelphia, and when I went into the office where people get distributed into their workplaces Now again, I joined the Navy. I went to what we would now call IT school. I graduated at the top, near the top of my class, and so I had choice of orders. So I chose to go to Philadelphia and to this particular aircraft carrier by the list.
Speaker 2:Got there, when I walked in to see the person that was distributing us, he said to me so I guess you think that you're somebody? Huh boy, and I'm looking down at the desk. He's got my record, I know he knows that I'm top of the class and so forth, no-transcript. He said well, I don't allow any pimps into my computer room, so you, boy, are going to be going over here and doing this manual labor. Now I don't want to insult you, certainly much less your listeners, but there's a word in the American vernacular that's so polarizing and hateful that we don't even use the word anymore. We just use the letter that that word starts with. And that was the language he used. He didn't say I don't want any temps, I don't allow any temps into the computer room.
Speaker 2:I don't allow any insert word into the computer room, and so from the very beginning, I realized that some of the things that I had grown up with were still present in what I thought was going to be a meritocracy. Now, the way I cope with that is by at that young age again, I'm barely 18 years old. The way I coped with it was through a poem that many of your listeners, and probably you, have heard as a child. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words even that word, can't really harm me. And so I thought well, in spite of what he says, my responsibility is put my hand to the plow, do my absolute best Again, I'm believing that there's a meritocracy here and go to work.
Speaker 2:The way that worked out was I wasn't full disclosure, and the Navy folks that know me might have something to say about this but I didn't really like computers. I did like the competition who can be the best, who can be the most innovative, who could be the most creative. And so, in spite of the people who thought that they would be able to kind of bury me and put me away, I was able to be the seed that I was brought up to be and grow to the highest levels of the Navy. That is mindset. It's a long answer, but mindset, great answer. The belief is really the answer answer.
Speaker 1:I want to talk about that. We live in a time. We live in a really weird time. Let me give you an example.
Speaker 1:I was reading this post the other day on instagram or somewhere and the post said it was a meme and it had baby boomers pushing this adult man with a beard and everything like, like in a carriage. They had some the words, the language they used. What was insinuated was that millennials are still living with their, with their parents, and that their parents are taking care of the kids still. And in the comments it was just to me, it was just disgusting. When I looked at the comments and I saw, oh, the baby boomer generation has all the wealth. We can't buy houses because they have all of the comments. And I saw, oh, the baby boomer generation has all the wealth. We can't buy houses because they have all of the wealth and we're stuck and all these excuses. Right. To me that is the total opposite of leadership.
Speaker 1:Yet here you were as a young man, 18 years old, when I looked at that post. I remember when I bought my first house. My wife and I bought our first house in the year 2000. We were only 21 and 22. I was making $40,000 a year. We had two kids third on the way and my mortgage is $2,153 per month. Okay, with one breadwinner. And here are these folks on the internet complaining and, like every generation had that issue of affordability and challenges Every generation you grew up with straight up racism, like straight up hosing people down. I mean, you saw it. You saw, you lived the roughest. You saw it, as a child, the worst. What advice are you telling, right, you're giving to these young people? Because these younger folks that they feel like they're victims. Yet you were called the N-word and you were graduated at the top of your class and not only did you overcome that, you raised to the top of the ranks in your field overcome, that you raised to the top of the ranks in your in your field.
Speaker 2:First and foremost, I would say that, first of all, congratulations on being in an environment in the early 2000s where you were able to purchase a home and then having that thing, that unspoken, intangible, hard to define thing inside of you. That said, I believe, see, the three things that I give to young leaders and I remind older, more seasoned executive people to lead with is what I would call the ABCs of leadership right, attitude, belief and character. Those are three things that no one can take away from you and if you defend them with ferocity, then you can maintain them at any level that you want Attitude, belief and character. Now, it's popular to say that attitude determines your altitude, and I fully agree with the mindset, the attitude of I can overcome and I can do my absolute best, regardless of what the standard is in an organization or with a particular group. If I do my best, I ought to have that satisfaction and fulfillment that comes along with that. I grew up in the South, they say. If you believe you can achieve, grew up in the south, they say, if you believe you can achieve even in spite of us just coming out of these winning so-called winning our civil rights? Uh, knowing that, if I believe that I have the tools, parts and material to do my best work, if I believe and therefore know that I am capable and able to take the next step forward. Or, as Martin Luther King would say, you know, climb a dark stairwell. Yeah, climb a dark stairwell. You must first take a step right. And so if I can believe those things, then I can pursue the desires of my heart as well as make tangible steps towards it. And then, lastly, in the ABCs, that is character knowing that, no matter who's watching, if I live my life and behave and speak in such a way that is of high character, that character is going to precede me.
Speaker 2:And so what happened for me, again in my naval career, is that I maintained a good attitude. I maintained and believed that I was just as good as anyone else. By the way, I grew up on the west side of Oklahoma City. I was the only black kid at my school, the only black person at my school, not a teacher, not the trash man, not the male dude, nobody, just me. My mother used to say you're just as good as any of them. Well, I was crazy enough to believe that. Now there were times full disclosure, because I'm just a truth teller, that's what I am. There were times where I just didn't believe and I felt like the man was holding me down. But then I realized, the harder I tried to push against, whatever that challenge may be. I realized that also was part of it, because working harder or smarter is not always the only way.
Speaker 2:Sometimes it requires relationships, sponsorship, popular now to say, allyship. It's important for our character to precede us and that is the encouragement that works in any era, and that is the encouragement that works in any era. So, as we look back, historically there have been, whether it be misogyny. We're not very far from the women's suffrage movement. We're very near to the civil rights movement.
Speaker 2:There's finances is what you're looking for. There are people with a high level of emotional peace, and it's up to us to take those steps to attain those things that we have a desire for. And I fully believe that there are some things that we need for help, whether it be some measure of affirmative action, uh, or some consideration based on, uh, you know some, some challenges that we may have, because there's still inequity in the socioeconomic status. There's still some inequities when it comes to schools and the education processes and books that some children, inner cities and other places are learning from. But when we have the opportunity to get into the room, or when we have the opportunity to get into the room or when we have the opportunity to get into that workplace, those ABCs allow us to rise and compete with anyone at every level.
Speaker 1:I love that there's so much to unpack there. There's one thing that stood out to me is those inequities, right, that we still have, and how do we help young people? How do we deal with that right? So how do we deal with those inequities? I believe they are out there. They absolutely are right. I'm a person of color. I've experienced, I experience. I just choose not to believe, like yourself, that because of the way I look, that I'm less advantaged. I just reject that notion. Period. Like man, if they can do it, I can do it. If someone else can do it regardless, I just look at human beings If another human being can do it, but God's given them a talent. God, what is it that I need to be doing? It's the questions I'm asking. What is it that I need to be doing to get to the next level? What is it? I don't see. What is it I don? The same plot, man I read.
Speaker 2:You may think that you have put a block in front of me, but that block is only there until I have figured out my way, either over or under whomever might be able to help me make my way beyond that. And that self-mastery is just so important. It's so important that we know who we are, you know, to let our own self be true, know who we are, to be continuously working for improvement on ourselves. And what I tell young people is a perspective that I wasn't taught, I just figured out because I was on the grind. I was climbing that mountain, seeking to be better. To me, success looks like being able to find a better way and share it with other people. And very nappy. It's just my why, finding a better way, and then the way that I do that, my why, how and what my how is. I challenge the status quo and traditional thinking, but what I bring is a contribution to others, and so the way I apply that and I'm talking to young people who are being fed this victimhood look, you just assess yourself and drive towards whatever that thing is that you have a desire for, whatever that thing is that you have a desire for. And when you come up with the roadblock, then reassess and then you know change course and speed and find your way around it.
Speaker 2:Now specifically, let's just talk about that, right? So, because I know on your show folks want, okay, what do I do? So I'm part of the Navy Federal Credit Union and a report came out last year that said that navy federal credit union was giving um, what was not giving? Loans? Home loans at an equal, you know, rate, if you broken down by democrat.
Speaker 2:So my encouragement to someone who perhaps was turned down by navy federal credit union if that's who they belong to, okay, but they're not the only show in town. Let's realize, okay, that may be a no from them. Well, I'm willing to ask, you know, five, six, seven, eight, ten more times and then learn along the way what may be a challenge for me with regard to credit score or the other things that they assess. But there's not one person who can say yes or no. I can go to another bank or even to another credit union or another lending institution and find the success that I'm not, and so my encouragement is, rather than having that victim mindset, to have a growth mindset and realize okay, they said no. Here's the reason that they gave me what I'm going to in the meantime, while I'm working on that, I'm going to ask this next institution and the next institution and the next thing, you know, I can be, you know, like a young Martin Perdomo and his wife and have my own house. It's a matter of keeping going.
Speaker 1:I like to call that a matter of being resourceful. Right it's resourcefulness, right. Being it's resourcefulness, right Like hey, you know I'm in, I'm in the real estate business, I buy, I buy apartment buildings and you know it's. If it were easy, everyone would do it. It's not easy Sometimes. We're redeveloping buildings and we're doing big jobs and we encounter a lot of problems, a lot of challenges with city, with contractor, with this, with that and the. The thing that I always draw to is I am resourceful. We're going to figure this out as a team. Guys and I put my team together and we're resourceful and that's just part of my values as a leader, too, and I impart that into my team. Resourcefulness is one of our values you know I had.
Speaker 1:Right now we're going through an issue. I'll share this with you. We're going through an issue. We're doing a big redevelopment in an apartment building and one of the things we were having issues with. My project manager calls me last week and he's like we can't get the main shutoff because we got to do electrical in the whole entire building, all 12 apartments. We can't get the main shutoff. We're calling the distributors and they're saying 300 days, I got a loan that's due in 60 days, okay, I'm like listen, that's absolutely.
Speaker 1:I absolutely reject that. We're not going to. We're going to find it. There's someone out there in the world that has this part, that wants to sell it to us at the price. We want to buy it and we're praying for them. They're praying for us and we can put it in God's hands to put us together and give us the part. I don't care if I have to fly to China. If I got to fly one of you guys to Europe to go get the part, we are getting it done. So I'm not accepting that as an answer. 300 days is not an option.
Speaker 2:That positive energy is real, the believe and you can achieve is real, and when you're able to apply that same measure of confidence and energy towards your team. We had a saying on board Truman and we used to say USS Harry S Truman, and it was it's we, not me. And when we link arms together, we cannot be defeated. And so when you're able to inspire that within your team, man, good on you. I mean you can find what you want and have it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 100%. I owe some of this to my business partner. She just doesn't take no for an answer. She's a freaking pit bull. She's a doctor, she's just a pit bull. She's like no, I'm not taking that answer. She just goes right. So a lot of it is that I learned from her. Where it's like no, we got to find a way. I saw an interview with you, Ray, where you were saying persistence over resistance in an interview. I think it was the day that you retired your 33 years in the Navy, and how has that contributed to your success that persistence over resistance statement, and tell me, what does that mean, persistence over resistance, to you?
Speaker 2:What that means to me is that I'm not going to lament over a challenge, I'm not going to be sad because someone is pushing against me or something doesn't happen easily. In fact, I'm going to be inspired and motivated to overcome. The thing about leaders is that leaders are willing to go the hard way and to go the long way so that others can find a better way to get there. And so that persistence of the number of people who were like that first person who told me that he didn't allow folks like me into the computer room that continued throughout my career me into the computing room that continued throughout my career. And I I was not bothered by it, because I realized that as I continue to show and and bring high quality to the table and build a team that had high quality, you know into those environments that they would be successful no matter what. And so that persistence over resistance and being able to fuel myself with words I too am a believer so to be able to fuel myself with look, you will reap what you sow. I'm not going to be sad that I plant trees that bear fruit that I'll never taste, because somebody is going to reap a harvest well beyond their imagination, and that's okay with me. It's more important to do the right thing than it is to do things right, and so there are times in leadership where we must ask for forgiveness after 100% for permission, and so that persistence over resistance is that I will ruthlessly execute the performance of my duties to the absolute best of my ability, maximizing my resource until we as a team are successful and leaders who are innovative, and whether it be in the private sector or within the military because in the military there's a lot of X's and O's, there's a lot of checks and balances, a lot of left right, lateral limits, and in the private sector there's a bit less of that formality, but there's still laws in place and performance reviews that need to be attained and maintained. But when it comes down to our willingness to continue to work hard, that's up to us.
Speaker 2:There's 10 two-letter words that I use, and I would normally close with this, but I think it's the appropriate time to apply it now 10 two-letter words that will make people young, battle leaders, better people. Those 10 words are if it is to be, it is up to me. If it is to be, it is up to me, takes the pressure off everybody else. That means that I'm going to do my best with the expectation that only I and my team and my resources are able to solve the problem, and that has been my mantra for many years. That's a great mantra.
Speaker 1:That's a great mantra, really really good. Actually, I like it. I'm processing it right now for my team. Like, hey, how can we infuse that in the organization for all of us to take that level of accountability and ownership, having that, that level of accountability and ownership?
Speaker 2:having that intimate level of accountability because my inner circle, to be honest with you, is smaller than the cheerio but having that measure of accountability and vulnerability is what that all in low term, uh creates a team. You know that just cannot be stopped and the willingness to do that. It's become popular and many people have gotten the credit for saying that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. But it's real. When we care for one another enough to use those two and two letter wars towards something that we're working on as a team, that's a measure of loyalty and resilience that started to break.
Speaker 1:I would imagine that you probably have a bunch of other stories. As a person of color in the Navy going up the ranks, how did you manage going up to the level of status and leadership that you got to having those subordinates? I know you had them. You admitted or not, I know they were there Having those subordinates that looked at you like why is this guy you know leading me? I'll share this with you. This was his name, was Titus. So, if you're listening, titus, big up to you, love you brother. And he took me under his wing. He saw something in me and, just to give you and the listeners a picture, he was about five foot seven short guy, nigeria, from Nigeria, from. Uh, really dark as black as my shirt is the only thing you'd see on Titus, titus. You know we would joke about this all the time. So, um is, when he smiled was his teeth and it is we would joke about it his eyes. But this guy had such an art. He was such a great leader right, he was such a great leader. He rose through the ranks really quickly and, to give you an idea, we would go on sales calls to Brooklyn.
Speaker 1:I used to live in New York City. We would go on sales calls to Brooklyn, to the Hasidic Jew community, right, the Jewish culture, and they're very tight-knit, as you know. And one day we go into an appointment, a sales call, into this house. We were selling life insurance and that's when I saw the magic man. We were there, life insurance, and that's when I saw the magic man, we were there and he's such a charismatic, such a great leader, such a just just knew how to connect with human beings. Within an hour, the, the, the kids of the household, were sitting on his lap playing on his computer and I was like this guy is just magic, right, like, like this guy is just like. He took me under his wing and he taught me as an older brother, he taught me how to navigate some of those challenges. I'm curious to know how you navigated those challenges when you were building a leader, when you were building a team, as a leader where you had those people.
Speaker 2:The US Navy is a tribe of tribes and, as a surface Navy person who goes on board an aircraft carrier, for example, the aviators would say, ah, he's a surface guy. Uh, the submariners or the nuclear power folks would say, ah, he is, you know, a fresh air guy. Uh, the thing that is important. There's three things, I think, that are important when it comes down to breaking gaps. I bring up the tribe of tribes because, throughout my career, I was at eight different specialties, so from anti-submarine warfare to, uh, naval aviation, to your surface warfare and and amphibious warfare and so forth Space space command, before we had the space war. The thing that I know is that there's there's three things. Um, when it comes out to dealing with those environments, when someone is looking at you as you have been perhaps given something that you didn't deserve because of the color of your skin, or they just think that you're inferior to them, uh, this lesson was taught to me by this guy named Steve Millar. I was on board a ship and I'm about different than your guy. I'm about 62, about 250 pounds worth of gifts. And so, as I was talking to Steve, who I looked at as one of the meanest dudes I had ever met in my life. This guy was. He was so mean and he said Ray, look, man, you're you're really passionate about things that we have had a pretty passionate meeting earlier. And he said but man, you're a big dude and you're scary. And and I grew up, I joined the Navy Again we mentioned earlier in the show I was 18, I was 17 at the time. I was 135 pounds. Well, now I'm 240 pounds worth of weightlifting, and so my appearance was very different than the inner me.
Speaker 2:But what I learned in the conversation with him and being challenged by people who were from perhaps a different tribe than me within the Navy is that I had to have a diversity of communication. You know, every conversation can be loud and proud. Sometimes you have to be willing to stand close to someone and have a low level, a low volume conversation that may be more intimate with that particular person may be more intimate with that particular person. That's one thing. Another thing I learned is that when you treat people with dignity and respect, no matter how they appear to be coming towards you, then that disarms them. I had a person who, specifically, was talking bad about a program that I had implemented for the ship and he had a lot of negative things to say, and one day I just said well, what's the right answer? Turns out it was better than mine, and so I changed the policy and gave him the credit in front of all the entire ship, and it disowned the leader.
Speaker 2:Dignity, diversity in communication skills, treating people with dignity and respect. And then, lastly, I'd say, is knowing the difference between modesty and humility. Now I actually just published an article on this, so I'm pretty fired up about it. Modesty is something that we would maybe attribute to our outward things.
Speaker 2:Humility is that inward feeling that you're not better than anyone else. There's some occasions where you have to be immodest because you don't have a sponsor, you don't have a mentor, and you need to be able to unfurl your record to someone at the appropriate time because it's a benefit to others. When you're willing to, as a leader, turn off your own immodesty so that you can celebrate someone else and, at the same time, be immodest enough to present a skill or technique or something that you have mastered, then that shows the team that you're not just placating them, but you're also willing to tell the whole truth. So the three things, three ways. I would encourage your listeners and I'm encouraging myself and you at the same time is that diversity of communication treat people with dignity and respect and then balance that modesty, humility in your communication so that people realize that you're not just a sounding board or a glory getter.
Speaker 1:I like that Really, really like that. Which leads me to my next question what are three pillars that you would say a good leader? Three pillars that you would say a good leader leads by, maybe three strategies or three things that you say, hey, these are the three characteristics. You might have mentioned them already in your abcs, right, but I'm just curious, if you have, these are the three things of a good leader like?
Speaker 2:my, my personal pillars, as you mentioned, are the abcss, and that's what I encourage and teach other executives on how to build resilient loyalty. I would also say, and you're right, one thing I really love that John Maxwell says is that everyone deserves to be led well, and that, to me, is my passion towards sharing my gift with other people. Three things that I would say distinguish, you know, amazing leadership. One is the ability to build and maintain trust. Now, building trust is this interesting art form of science. So you know the entry point, you know within your organization, you know where do you start building that trust is a very dynamic entry point and what I know is that when you're able to build trust, you create an environment within your organization that allows that again back to the dignity and respect to go throughout the organization. And that leads to my second point, which would be inclusion. When everyone knows that they are trusted, when everyone realizes that your voice, it matters, then you can bring in a measure of inclusion where again, that teamwork and that family environment proliferates throughout the organization and when that happens. A third thing is collaboration. When people know that there's a high level of trust from the leadership throughout, all leadership within the organization, they realize that everyone has a voice. They also are more willing then to share innovative ideas in a collaborative nature. Super quick story I'm on an aircraft, on a guided missile destroyer.
Speaker 2:It's about 500 feet long. It's a workhorse of the Navy. When we pull up, the ship is underway. The way we get fuel, the way we get food and supplies is another ship will pull alongside and we'll connect together and get that gas tank, we get the fuel in and perhaps we'll have a helicopter going back and forth bringing stores. Well, there's only about 300 people on that ship and so the supply folks need help bringing that food down into the reefers. The um, the, the, the weapons team needs help bringing those weapons over and putting them. You know the armory and so forth. Well, on an aircraft carrier, there's over 5 000 people on board that ship. So me, if I ask the folks who connect the ship together, hey, do you need some support? They're like no, we got 120 people, we got that, no problem. If I ask the folks in supply, do you need help bringing food? No, no, no, we got over 300 people, no problem, we got it To create that environment where there's trust, where there is a measure, a serious, you know, authentic measure of inclusion and collaboration.
Speaker 2:Well, maybe not in some evolutions there may not be a reach across, you know, between departments. But in areas where there is a reach for example maintenance or combat system or damage control then they're willing to share with one another and that makes the whole thing better. And, specifically, our engineers and our nuclear power plant folks helped our aviation maintenance people attain a 100% score on an aviation inspection that had never been done in the history of the Navy. But that team was collaborative in nature because they knew that there was their voice to be heard in a very inclusive way and they trusted the entire leadership team and the culture and climate of the of the ship. We were able to attain things that had just never been done. And, by the way, we were able to attain things that had just never been done before and, by the way just a bonus too they lead to a transformative workplace and they also lead to a workplace that is willing to continue to grow.
Speaker 1:When I heard what you just said. You just said about trust, collaboration, inclusion, collaboration. I think about culture within a team and creating a good culture as a leader amongst your group. You know that's something that's talked about a lot in business. You know, and maybe you're a listener right now and you're saying, well, I don't lead a team, I'm not a business owner. If you are great, there's great content. If you're not, you have a family. You're still leading your family. You still have to create good culture. How do we create good culture and harmony as leaders in our organizations or in our home?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I think a way to create that culture and I believe it's important to talk culture and climate the way to build that culture. Let's start with trust, right? So let's say what our expectation, let's define what the culture is within the organization. For example, I think it was, there was one of the automakers who is their culture really was? Quality is job one, and so here, this is the culture that we want to have. Your other cultures you might hear people describe, are we are proud, trustworthy and bold. And so when you define okay, here's what the culture is, that's very important Then you create that measure of trust within the leadership of the organization, because, from my perspective, culture is a top-down evolution when the leader is living out and displaying that culture, whether that means there's times where you have to be vulnerable about how well or poorly that you're actually doing, well or poorly that you're actually doing.
Speaker 2:When it comes to giving a true climate survey of what everybody within the organization feels about how you are living towards this culture that you have defined, that's important. And to get to the answer, the most important thing is that we're willing to consistently live out the culture as a leader, and so, whether that's the leader within the household. If I say you know you've got to be home and in bed at this time and you've got to have your homework done and your chores and so forth, well, I'm responsible for cutting the yard and doing the hedges and washing the cars. Well, if the car is dirty and our lawn looks like Jumanji, then I'm not doing my job. So for me, as the leader, you know, with my children, then I've got to be living at a standard, displaying the standard that allows that culture you know, to grow and be cultivated.
Speaker 2:Now I mentioned climate, particularly in big organizations. Each and every one of us is part of the climate. I like to describe the climate as the culture is what's written on the wall and your public affairs. People put something together, but the climate is that feeling that you get, you know, when your tires hit the parking bumper and you put the car in park and you're getting ready to get out. That feeling is the climate. And, as a leader, it's crucial that we assess the climate and ensure that it matches what the culture matches what our desire for the culture. There are some managers, people managing processes that they will do things right, but a leader is going to do the right thing. So when a leader walks into a space, they're like a thermostat, not the thermometer. Leader walks into us and has an impact on that climate, and when we're intentional about that, then we can be successful.
Speaker 1:I love that. I love that. What year did you retire? 19. So I'm easing in 2019. Okay, being in the military when you were in the Navy as a, which was this is just for my own thing. I was thinking about this this morning as I was meditating on what to ask and where to take this, but this question came up to me how does it feel to be in charge of? How many men were you in charge of when you're out at sea?
Speaker 2:While out at sea, on an aircraft carrier, there's over 5,000. On a destroyer carrier, there's there's over 5 000. On a destroyer there's 300 um 100, just to fleet master chief.
Speaker 1:Navy europe, navy africa, about 60 you know, let's just say, when you were out at sea with 5 000 men and you're the top guy, top ranking guy, and everyone is dependent on your decisions. How does it feel to know you have that level of responsibility? People's lives are in your hands. You have multi-billion dollars of equipment and families and so much responsibility in your hands.
Speaker 2:First, let me say if I could always set my phone, right now, my alarm goes off at 345. It probably has for the last 20 years, because I'm a morning person and so, you're right, a lot of decisions are made in the silence. I, too, have a morning routine that involves writing my prayers and curtains. It also involves taking time to intentionally meditate and quiet myself and allow the ideas of those alpha waves to be written on paper. Super important to me Because of the process of advancement in the Navy.
Speaker 2:Thankfully, I didn't just miracle my way into that position.
Speaker 2:I had lived through layers and layers of leadership and during that time in doing that it was important for me developed relevant relationships, making my way to become the command master chief of an aircraft carrier.
Speaker 2:I knew, without any doubt, that my team was really, really strong, filled with brilliant people, and so, when it came down to mission and, by the way, on a naval ship, you will normally have a commanding officer, executive officer and a command master chief, known as a triad um, in some instances, you know, it's it's very um, distinctive and hierarchical, and most instances, though, is on one level, and the three of us, you know, make various decisions um, throughout the ship and then we also have our staff and so, knowing that I had a strong team, I was really not overly concerned about making the wrong decision, because we were so intentional about leadership by walking around and so, knowing the whole what some would call the pulse of the crew I would describe as knowing the climate of the crew, because I'm walking and talking to all of the members and when that accountability for someone's decision and accountability that may put someone's life at risk because I had 11 combat deployments, some on the ground and some at sea, knowing that I had studied and spent the time to consider, you know, what is the right thing to do allowed me not to be overly worrisome about it.
Speaker 2:And ultimately, again and by the way, I made some mistakes, some hearty mistakes.
Speaker 2:You're only fooling me brother, you know, yeah, but in making those decisions, a high level of confidence, and I would encourage leaders to do that, to be prepared.
Speaker 1:I studied with a gentleman that said something really powerful to me. His name is Keith Cunningham. I don't know if you've read the book Rich Dad, poor Dad he's the actual rich dad a few years ago and he wrote a book, the Road Less Stupid. In this book and he said it in the workshop, business is an intellectual sport, not a tactical game, meaning your wins are done when you're in silence, asking the tough questions and journaling and thinking. And there's another mentor I had. They used to say everyone wants success but no one wants to do the hard work of thinking. And I think that where you're getting at sounds like to me very similar to what both of these guys are saying. You spend time. You felt confident because you already had done the work beforehand and processing things to be prepared to make those decisions.
Speaker 2:Strategy is so important. You know looking, you know five miles down the road. You know looking in a ship's life. You know looking 18 months ahead is so important and when you have a waypoint that's out in front of you you can work to get. So it's so important that we have objectives. Some might call it goals if you're following Brian Tracy right. There are objectives that we have out front for the individual, for the team members and for the organization as a whole. And when you are telling people and helping them understand their, their why right, we need you because this is what you bring to the table.
Speaker 2:Every sailor for us, as an example, every sailor is, has an impact. Every profession has an impact on the lethality of the Navy. And you've probably heard the story of JFK after he told NASA we're going to the moon. And he went to go visit NASA and there's a guy here at MK, the Tri, clearly the janitor and he says, well, what do you do here? And he says I'm putting a man on the moon. So when you create that environment where everyone knows their responsibility and again back to trust, they believe in the organization and what that mission, vision and guiding principles are, then making decisions on the benefit of them is something that we must take seriously, and it's worth the study time to ensure that you're doing it right.
Speaker 1:I love that. Love that the hard work of thinking. People think that leadership is it's, hey, the glory. It's not the glory, it's what we're doing when no one is watching, when we're in our study, journaling, meditating, visualizing, thinking if this and that and this and that was the best outcome. I always ask myself what will hold you back from achieving blah, blah, blah. Right, because whatever, that is what's the best outcome. You know, I always ask myself what will hold you back from achieving blah, blah, blah. Right, because it, whatever that is what's holding me back. What would hold you back from achieving whatever it is, whatever task, and it just flushes out all of the limitations and excuses and the, and you can see it. And all of a sudden they just become like okay, we can do this, this, this, this, this. Most people don't want to do that. Most people don't want to live their life with intentionality, which is what that process is all about.
Speaker 2:The number one thing that people are afraid of is public speaking. Um, oh, but yeah, yeah, right, so people would rather be looking at the ceiling at the church rather than giving the eulogy. And much in leadership, people would rather be formed up and told what to do rather than be the one calling cadence and telling them what to do and where to go. And those who are bold and courageous. It's just important that we are willing to stand in those things. Leadership is not just being linguistically dynamic, intellectually agile, and the willingness to build that steel is what helps people become better.
Speaker 1:I'll share this quick story with you. Let me see, I don't know, eight, 10 years ago my kids are all grown now, my youngest is 21 years old and we were in the. We were in the kitchen in our old house and I said to them I put them all around the kitchen table, the whole family, and I said hey guys, what did you think the highest paying career is going to be of your generation? And of course they were giving me. They were all giving me their ideologies, doctors, lawyers, this, that, all all that, all these different things. And I said, in my opinion, the highest paid career of the future is going to be the best communicator, which indeed, is the best leader.
Speaker 1:Because all you guys, because I remember at that time, all the kids were doing was texting. That's the way they wanted to communicate, just text. I would call, even to this day, if you're listening to me, molly, my little sister, which my brother-in-law is a retired military Marine. He just retired this year. I call her. She wants to text me, right? And I'm like hey guys, and that AI hadn't come out yet, right? This was talking 10 years ago. Ai wasn't out, yet I said the best communicator, the one that can put a team together, lead the team, communicate and be able to have that human to human connection.
Speaker 1:That art is being lost right now by your generation because all you guys want to do is text. You don't want to have a real conversation and leaders in. I don't believe this is going to go away, because we're human beings. As a human being, a leader the leaders are the ones that are going to be paid the best. But you have to have that ability to be able to connect with another human being. You have to be able to have that empathy. I was walking with my son the other day. We were out for a walk and the conversation came up and I said you know, we all have a gift. God gives us all a gift. We just have to figure out what that gift is. God's gift to me is my ability to just connect with the people. So my final question to you, brother, is was there something that you didn't share that you should have shared? That would bring a tremendous amount of value to the listener.
Speaker 2:First of all, you're a fabulous host man. You've asked a great question and I think our conversation has allowed me to express the things that fuel. You know my desire to make the world a better place. I started Camp Solutions just to change the world. No big deal, create that environment for them to do the things we've discussed, from the ABCs of leadership, treating people with dignity and respect, having the mindset of trust, innovation and communicating and collaboration.
Speaker 2:Then imagine that person goes to work and they know that's what they're walking into. They know they're going to be in this environment that's going to be fulfilling and stimulating and they're going to be treated with honor, with dignity and respect. They will take that home and they'll do that with their household and then, from their household, they'll go out and do that within the community, and so this has been just a fabulous conversation to talk about those things. Of course, I have written some of those things in my book, which is available on Amazon Building Resilience for Hybrid Success, and those are the points that I'm proud to make Ten two-letter words also. Those are the things that I'm most concerned with helping people with.
Speaker 1:I want you to give all of that information in a minute, how people connect with you if they wanted to connect with you. But before that I had another question when I was jerking this morning that I wanted to ask you. So you worked, for you know our country is very polarized right now, as with political parties. So you worked for both leaders, right, both oppositions. You worked under both administrations, the Trump administration and part of the Biden administration. Can you share with us, as a military person and leadership, what were the differences, if any, in administration? If there is any, I'm just curious to know, know well, it'd be traditionally, and you're right.
Speaker 2:So, from ronald reagan up to president obama uh I, I end up to president trump I served under all those administrations. I met on time. You met every president with the exception of, uh, donald trump, and what I know is that and they've been speaking in the event, I happen to be at the hashtag yeah, yeah, I did have some interesting conversations with W Bush and with folks close to the Obama administration, but what what happened is, very frankly, is that it appeared that the Republican Party was more willing to fund the military, so we got really big raises when the Republicans were in office and under the hand of Democratic presidents. I was on board ships, by the way, when we went from all-male crew on combatant ships to bringing females on board. I was in a leadership role during that time. I was also in a leadership role when I think it was President Clinton who established the don't ask, don't tell environments and leadership role, and when it was repealed by President Obama, again in a leadership role. Those gave a feeling to those who are opposed to those events, gave a feeling to those who were opposed to those events that the Democrats were more along those lines and the Republicans were the ones who were paying us well, so on and so forth. They were the tough guys when it comes down to going to Iraq, afghanistan and so forth. From my perspective, every military leader and it comes from when I joined the Navy in the 80s it said every military person should be apolitical. There should be two words for the president right, his perspective or her perspective one day, when we get there, when it comes down to going to this country, and that it's right to that, and because we must have a trust in the checks and balances that go from the president to our particular mission.
Speaker 2:One thing I will say before as I close, actually on this particular topic the one time in my career, again from President Reagan, I have been to every inhabited continent. I've been to East Coast and West Coast, by the way of every inhabited continent, of every inhabited continent. I've talked in a very diplomatic way to heads of state, to include some of the leaders that we don't necessarily have a high reputation for right now, and I've talked to heads of state. They've flown the American flag, because I was visiting and speaking to those folks, but only with our former president, had I ever had this particular experience I'm going to describe.
Speaker 2:So I was at the airport in Paris and I was asking the lady who was checking us in at the gate because there was a delay or something. And as I was talking to her, there was a line that had run behind me and she said you're American? And I was like I am, it's a passport, so forth. But I said yeah, I am. And she says I feel so sorry for you. And the people behind me were like, yeah, wow, verbally, wow, and it's kind of so embarrassing to be an American right now. We really feel sorry for you and your country and I had never experienced that in my entire career. That was a bit heartbreaking. That was probably the most painful moment. I wasn't in uniform, but I was trying my civilian clothes, but as I was a uniformed member, active duty member and that hurt more than just a little bit. And you're right, we are in a very polarizing time right now, which is why it's so important that our vote truly, truly counts.
Speaker 1:You know that our vote truly, truly counts. I know you mentioned that military personnel kind of feels, hey, the Republicans pay us, well, democrats whatever. What was that like for you as a leader when the don't ask, don't tell thing happened and you had to navigate that right, because the orders come from the top? Boom, and now you're the boots on the ground, like it's, you're it, you're the one on the boat or on the ship, right, not the boat, but the ship, and you have to actually implement these things.
Speaker 2:It is Particularly growing up with the belief system that I had. It was really difficult, but what I knew is that the policy had been written. It's kind of like playing basketball If you get fouled, the referee's not going to unblow his whistle. Well, now he's going to replay it. Then I've got to unblow their whistle. So what I was able to come to grips with was a very emotional thing for me.
Speaker 2:I grew up in a very machismo environment. You know, 70s, 80s, be a man, all those things and a woman told me one time she said you know, the discrimination that women deal with, the misogyny that women deal with, is the same as racism. And I thought what? No? But as I reasoned that in my mind, I thought, wow, the similarities are amazing. And so, as I again I'm in a leadership role, bang, here comes that don't ask, don't tell. I'm like, wow, somebody's got to be the champion for these folks and I'm the leader. Therefore it has to be me.
Speaker 2:And so to not necessarily roll in some kind of picket sign or anything like that, but to be able to say here's what the policy is. Understand, here's what it time was one of the toughest things that occurred throughout my career that LGBTQ plus, I guess now community really really had a hard time coming in and being able to set aside my personal beliefs for the mission, vision and guiding principles of our Navy was a challenge, but it was worth it. And it was worth it because they're brilliant minds who may come from a different belief system, may have an alternative lifestyle or whatever the case may be. Those people are still patriots and when they're there to be patriotic and do their level best at what they do, then we've got to celebrate, recognize and encourage their continued service.
Speaker 1:I think more important before they're patriots are human beings just like you and I, and we need to respect them as such. I think, first and foremost. And if we respect each other, let's love each other. You're a human being, I'm a human being. Let's connect on that level. Then beliefs are different, I don't care if you're Muslim, jewish, it don't matter to me. We're going through the same human experience as human beings. We're going through the same human experience. You feel what I feel. Let's just not push each other's ideologies.
Speaker 2:Let's just, let's just not push each other's ideologies. Let's respect each other, let's love each other, but we're both human beings and we're going through the same human experience. The thing is, what if? What if everybody's right? Yeah, yeah, I don't oscillate eyes, I don't need to. I, I. If you ask me what I think or what I believe, I'll share that with you, and I'd love more to list you. You know if it's different, but what I know is that a rising tide floats all boats. Rising tide floats all boats. So we've got to be the tide. That's what leaders do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that. I know I keep telling you last question. I promise you this is the last one, because I love Ronald Reagan. So here I have someone that can tell me what their experience was. So here I have someone that can tell me what their experience was. Ronald Reagan, right, In my opinion, one of the best presidents and leaders of my generation at least. I was a baby, but at least in history, from what I've studied, great great president of our time. How was that working for Ronald Reagan? He was, in my opinion, I think he was an amazing leader. I've read his books and studied him. How was that? Being in military under Ronnie?
Speaker 2:Well, I'll sit. Yeah, I'm a full disclosure guy and I remember vividly when he was running for president and I remember hearing I was asking my father I might as well my stepfather he and I was like, well, what's the big deal about him being an actor? Because he could very well be acting.
Speaker 1:That was a good answer, by the way. That was a really good answer.
Speaker 2:That was a really good answer, Okay, Because I was young and didn't fully know the intimacies of politics and so forth, fully know the intimacies of politics and so forth, and so as I entered into the Navy of course he was on his second term at the time and he carried a way. He had a kind of an elegant I don't know how to describe it he was elegantly fierce. I mean, he was clearly no punk If you do something against the United States, we are going to answer in a ferocious way. Because he displayed that with a level of elegance very similar, from my perspective, of President Obama.
Speaker 2:Obama was never like the bully and figure, the forehead type of guy, but we were making some, some things happen in a very quiet way, not necessarily celebrated by the open dress, but and that's how it was with Reagan Reagan, he, he, he was so graceful in the way that he spoke and that his ability to be articulate was important. And the relationship that he had abroad, very, very important which again is brings me to mind to President Obama, who had the same type of relationship with people abroad it's inspiring, you know, people are particularly on the continent of Africa, so to be able to serve during the time of Ronald Reagan and see and hear the way he felt about the military was very, very fulfilling. And we haven't, from my perspective and to your point, we haven't had a president who authentically respected and honored and revered or greeted. We just haven't had a president who authentically respected and honored and revered Agreed.
Speaker 1:We just haven't had that, I think. In my opinion, as it pertains to presidents, I think he's been one of the greatest ones that I've seen in my lifetime. I was a kid, but man from the history books and just the way he articulated, the way he protected our country. He was strong but not a bully. Right? Um, he would get his point across Don't don't mess with us or I'm gonna crush you but not in a bullish way. Um, people respected us and uh, it was, uh, I think he was uh, and I, and I believe also to your father, your stepfather's point that a lot of uh, a lot of those relational skills that he had had to also comes from his acting skills. Right, you can't have strong relationships If you're a thinking person. You would. You would have to say, hey, there's a, there's a version of that that is that is being used, and some of those skills are being deployed to to impact relationships out there.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, especially internationally.
Speaker 2:You know, traveling and 11 combat deployments and lots of times overseas and dealing with people from different countries and no again from him.
Speaker 2:All the way, you know, through our former president, you can feel the American presence when that is displayed by the president, when that is displayed by the president. And one thing I'll say about this is about all this is that the ubiquitous nature of news now and reporting is very, very different. We didn't have the 24-hour news cycle. We didn't have the CNN, the Fox News and the MSNBC and all those things that are just only now. It's weird to have a channel call headline news but to have the news, you know, 24 7. We didn't have that, you know, at the time and it allowed, you know, for a different level of communication than what we have you know these days. And I think that because of the things that were, you know, not seen, not said about, you know, presidents into our past compared to presidents we have now and into our future they will, you know, have a measure of glory, you know, in the annals of history different than what we'll have going into the future.
Speaker 1:Yeah, agreed, agreed. Man, what a great conversation. Thank you so much for coming on. What an great conversation. Thank you so much. Uh, it's been coming on. What an amazing conversation, and I'm glad we went. We went a little longer than I wanted to, but I'm glad we did, cause I just had a bunch of things in my head I wanted to to get. So thank you so much. If folks wanted to connect with you, how do they? Where do they find you? How do they get coaching from you? Maybe there's a company leader out there listening to us and saying man, I want him to come and coach me, I want him to come and teach my team and I want him to teach my executive team. How do they find you? Tell us about your book. Where can they find your book? I'm going to pick up your book. By the way, that's my next read. So, guys, that's what I'll be reading next, so read it along with me. How can I connect with you, brother? Social media. Give it to us all. Give it to us all.
Speaker 2:The best way, particularly for those who are looking for a keynote speaker, off-site speaker or maybe even to do some small group coaching, is through LinkedIn. I can be found there at Raymond Kemp. That's the best way to get me professionally, and if you're curious to, you know what I'm thinking about. I post articles there, as well as on mediumcom, and I post, you know, stories and some articles on Instagram as well, and there you can find me at Raymond D Kemp. That's Raymond D Kemp and that's the same handle that I use on Twitter as well as Facebook as well. Raymond D Kemp on all social media and please, please, connect with me on LinkedIn.
Speaker 2:I'd love to share some insights and learn from your listeners, because I you've got some smart listeners out there. I'm always thinking to improve my perspective. Yeah, good, my book is Building Resilience for Hybrid Success. The subtitle is Anchored in Adaptability and it grew out of an interesting conversation. You know, I was talking to a leader and I was like man, what a great time to be a leader. And he was saying oh, you just don't understand. These young people today are blah, blah, blah. Millennials, this Generation Z, that and it went from a text response to an email response to a. You know I've got more to say into a book, and so in the book I was talking about ways to build loyalty and resilience, maybe some tips and techniques and key things to think about for leaders. So please, oh please, make your way to Amazon Again. It's Building Resilience for Hybrid Success. It's my only book that's posted there now, so if you just put my name in, it'll come right up. Are you on Audible yet?
Speaker 1:Not yet. Not yet. Let's get you on there, brother. Let's get you on there because a lot of the listeners listen to Audible, so try to get on there as soon as you can. Thank you, brother, for coming on. Thank you, guys for listening and staying with us this long. We went for a little bit longer than I wanted to, but thank you so much for your time, brother, really appreciate it. It's really an enriching conversation. I learned a ton from you and that this is all about. I hope that the listeners you listening to me right now that you. Your life was made better by listening to this conversation and the wisdom that that Ray shared here with us. I hope that you can take some of the things that he shared here today and your life becomes better by taking action in some of the things that he shared. If it is to be, it is up to me. That's my biggest takeaway, and remember that, guys. Thank you, brother, Appreciate you.