131: Dr. Liz Werly — What an Army Psychologist for Special Ops Teaches About High Performance and Emotional Intelligence
About this episode
Dr. Liz Werly discusses frameworks for high performance and emotional intelligence in military leadership.
How do the best military leaders go from operating at an already elite level… to an even higher level under pressure? In this episode, Army psychologist Dr. Liz Werly (who works directly with some of the U.S. military's most elite units) breaks down the exact framework she uses to help high performers: build accurate self-awareness using gold-standard assessments, " engineer " their personality to fit the context (calm under fire and present at home), develop emotional intelligence as the differentiator once IQ and talent are in place, and translate values into visible daily behaviors that protect what matters most. We also dig into groundedness and intentionality as core high-performance habits, the basics that leaders ignore at their own risk (sleep, rhythm, connection), and how generational shifts and resiliency trends are reshaping today's force and workplaces. In this episode, you'll learn: How Dr. Werly assesses elite leaders (IQ, Big Five, emotional measures) and turns data into a growth plan Why emotional intelligence becomes more important than raw intellect at higher levels of leadership A simple values → beliefs → behaviors framework (including the "20-minute Lego"…
More episodes of Intentional Leader with Cal Walters
- 136: Jordan Montgomery — Why Even High Performers Need Encouragement (and How to Lead with It)
- 135: Dr. Jeff Wetzler — Why People Don't Tell You the Truth (and the Questions That Change Everything)
- 134: Randy Gravitt — Winning at Home Without Losing at Work, Leading With Presence, and Why Hope Is Not a Strategy
- 133: LTG(R) Milford Beagle "Beags" — A Three-Star General on True North, Resilience, Feedback, and How to Lead With Confidence Without Becoming Overconfident
- 132: Joe McCormack — Special Operations Communication Expert Shares How to Say Less, Communicate With Clarity, and Lead With Quiet Confidence
- 130: Dr. Zach Mercurio — The Hidden Engine of High-Performing Teams: Mattering, Trust, and Purpose-Driven Leadership
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Intentional Leader with Cal Walters podcast page.