The path to progressing as a leader isn’t always linear.
SUMMARY
Col. (Ret.) Mike Ott shows how a childhood dream can evolve into a lifetime of impact—from commanding in uniform to leading innovation in healthcare and national defense. Hear more on Long Blue Leadership. Listen now!
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MIKE'S LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS
- A leader worth his or her salt should be comfortable not being the smartest person in the room.
- Striving for a lack of hubris is essential in leadership.
- Setting a clear vision is a fundamental leadership skill.
- Moving people without authority is crucial for effective leadership.
- Resource management is key to achieving organizational goals.
- Acknowledging what you don't know is a strength in leadership.
- Effective leaders focus on guiding their teams rather than asserting dominance.
- Leadership is about influencing and inspiring others.
- A successful mission requires collaboration and shared vision.
- True leadership is about empowering others to succeed.
CHAPTERS
00:00: Early Inspiration
06:32: Academy Years
13:17: Military Career Transition
21:33: Financial Services Journey
31:29: MOBE and Healthcare Innovation
40:12: Defense Innovation Unit
48:42: Philanthropy and Community Impact
58:11: Personal Growth and Leadership Lessons
ABOUT MIKE OTT
BIO
Mike Ott is the Chief Executive Officer of MOBĒ, a U.S.-based company focused on whole-person health and care-management solutions. He became CEO in April 2022, taking the helm to lead the company through growth and operational excellence following a distinguished career in both the military and corporate sectors.
A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Mike served as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves before shifting into financial services and healthcare leadership roles including private wealth management at U.S. Bank and executive positions with UnitedHealth Group/Optum. His leadership ethos emphasizes alignment, acceleration, and human potential, building cultures where teams can thrive and leveraging data-driven models to improve health outcomes.
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Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor: Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org
Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer: Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org
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OUR SPEAKERS
Guest, Col. (Ret.) Mike Ott ’85 | Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz ’99
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Naviere Walkewicz 0:00 A quick programming note before we begin this episode of Long Blue Leadership: This episode will be audio-only, so sit back and enjoy the listen.
Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, the podcast where we share insights on leadership through the lives and experiences of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of ’99. Today, on Long Blue Leadership, we welcome Col. (Ret.) Mike Ott, Class of 1985, a leader whose vision was sparked at just 9 years old during a family road trip past the Air Force Academy. That childhood dream carried him through a 24-year Air Force career, culminating in retirement as a colonel and into a life of leadership across business, innovation and philanthropy. Mike is the CEO of MOBE, a groundbreaking company that uses data analytics and a revolutionary pay-for-results m
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