Talking Military Talent and Leadership with Jeffrey Clark, CEO of Anthony International
Talented leaders in the middle management ranks are the key players in business execution. They’re Jeffrey Clark’s go-to people for helping his team serve their customers. Serving customers well is how Clark rose to CEO and how Anthony International grew from a $30M to a $350M revenue business. Winning in business is about great people making it happen and this type of performance was instrumental to Anthony International’s expansion.
What makes a good team member? “Execution, a self-starter, someone who makes the call and goes for it,” replied Clark. “You win or you learn from the scrapes but executing nearly always beats hesitation.” Regarding military talent, Clark has had favorable experiences. Whether a former sub driver or former tank driver and all points in between them, Clark sees “military training as a positive in business.”
The CEO takes developing talent seriously – he personally mentors several of his rising stars. Helping them “look forward to anticipate the needs of our customers, sometimes before they see the need themselves” is a big part of Anthony International’s playbook. He looks for strategic thinkers trained in weighing options and executing. Clark agreed that military talent, particularly Junior Military Officers, are good middle management candidates who exemplify these traits.
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