MajGen Matt Smith, US Army (Ret), on Command, Crisis, and Character

About this episode

Retired Major General Matt Smith shares leadership lessons from his military career, focusing on command during crises and personal challenges.

Retired Major General Matt Smith shares candid lessons on leading through combat, crisis response, civil unrest, and personal trials at the highest levels of Army command. In this episode of Moments in Leadership , I sit down with retired Major General Matt Smith, US Army, to reflect on the leadership lessons earned over a three-decade career in uniform. From commanding troops in Afghanistan to steering large organizations through hurricanes, civil unrest, and the COVID-19 pandemic, General Smith’s story is one of resilience, adaptability, and character. We discuss the weight of command at scale, the challenges of shifting from tactical to executive leadership, and the cultural differences between active duty and National Guard formations. General Smith also shares raw insights from the Pentagon during crises like Black Lives Matter protests, January 6th, and the early days of COVID, offering a rare look inside the Army’s decision-making under pressure. Later in the conversation, he opens up about the personal strain of being under investigation while still in command — and the moral courage it took to stay focused on his people, his duty, and the institution. His advice on…

People in this episode

Host: David B. Armstrong

Guest: Matt Smith

Topics covered

• leadership
• military
• crisis management
• personal trials
• resilience
• adaptability
• business transition

Keywords

• leadership
• military
• crisis response
• resilience
• character
• business for veterans
• Emory University

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: US Army, Emory University

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