William Harvey, Program Manager & Professor: The Question That Ended Finger-Pointing

From People Solve Problems by Jamie Flinchbaugh

March 4, 2026 · 22 min

About this episode

William Harvey shares his practical approach to leadership and problem-solving, emphasizing flexibility and situational awareness.

William Harvey, Program Manager for Strategic Initiatives and University Professor, brings a refreshingly practical perspective to leadership and problem-solving. Throughout the conversation, William shares how his diverse background—from the Marine Corps to manufacturing to academia—has shaped his approach to developing people and tackling complex challenges. William's philosophy on leadership centers on flexibility and situational awareness. He describes his approach as stepping into whatever role the moment demands, whether that's ownership, delegation, coaching, or sponsorship. Drawing an analogy to the movie “300,” where King Leonidas steps into missing spots, William explains that he doesn't declare his role upfront but instead reads the situation and fills gaps as needed. For critical moments—safety incidents, major quality investigations, or when someone is truly struggling—he leads directly. But for planned activities, he creates safe spaces where people can develop new competencies without the pressure of real-time crises forcing immediate action. One of William's most compelling insights challenges a common assumption in problem-solving work. Before jumping into any…

People in this episode

Host: Jamie Flinchbaugh

Guest: William Harvey

Topics covered

leadership
problem-solving
flexibility
situational awareness
diversity

Keywords

leadership
problem-solving
flexibility
situational awareness
diversity
Marine Corps
manufacturing
academia

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Marine Corps, manufacturing, academia

Books & works: 300