Alligator Preserves Episode 53: “West Point Woman” by Sara Potecha

Sara Potecha, author of West Point Woman: How Character is Created and Leadership is Learned, visits with me on the Alligator Preserves podcast. Sara and I have many things in common, including our graduation from West Point in 1983 with the 4th class to include women!

We share West Point stories and discuss Sara’s self-help book on leadership with advice applicable to every workplace.

Watch on YouTube Here:

“Audio Only” on Alligator Preserves Here:

Show Notes with Links:

• Why go to West Point? We discuss our reasons and give shout-outs to cadets who made a difference in our lives.
• “Plebe poop” and Bugle Notes (a cadet’s “bible”).
• On being an enigma in our own families and overcoming ignorance about the military.
• Day 1 civilian to soldier, English teachers who made us suffer, thoughts of quitting, and wonderful mentors.
• Being actors in different roles, and issues with upper-class women.
• Fear and Airborne School.

  

• Universal principles and tools to navigate the workplace.
• Sharing stories with our children and why Sara ultimately wrote this book on character and leadership.
• Teaching integrity, and the “no excuse” response.
• Encouragement from classmates (but not all).
• Humility, leadership, and Sara’s greatest challenge: suddenly becoming a single mother when the father of her three daughters died in a tragic accident.
• Possible follow-on book with soldier-mother stories.
• Gail O’Sullivan’s book Tough as Nails: One Woman’s Journey Through West Point
• Shout-outs to Sara’s daughters: Larisa (Gaba) Barclay, Gwenyth Gaba-Thome  and Joye Gaba, and her husband, Reed Potecha; our classmate MG Ray Royalty; her West Point mentor: BG Barney Forsythe, PhD; and her book coach, Cathy Fyock.
• Sara’s website: www.WestPointWoman.com

  

• Facebook | Instagram
• National Speakers Assocation: https://www.nsaspeaker.org
• Wounded Warrior Project
• Families of the Wounded Fund
• Active Heroes

If you enjoy my podcasts, you might enjoy my books!

• Laurel’s Amazon Author page
• https://leadvillelaurel.com/writing-tips/
• https://www.facebook.com/LeadvilleLaurel/
• https://twitter.com/LeadvilleLaurel
• Intro/outro voice by Nick McHargue,
  Podcast music from Jamendo Royalty Free Music

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