Green Beret Perry Blackburn joins Jim Robinson and Lori Prust to reveal why the best leaders listen first, act second, and how ego gets in the way.
Perry Blackburn spent his career as a Green Beret combat diver, one of the first Americans on the ground in Afghanistan after 9/11, part of the horse-mounted "Horse Soldiers" featured in 12 Strong. After retiring, he founded AFG Free, a nonprofit that rescued over 2,000 Americans and allies after the fall of Kabul, and later started 18 Series Coffee Company to fund humanitarian aid in Ukraine.
In this conversation, Perry breaks down the difference between split-second combat decisions and deliberate planning, why ego is the biggest barrier to listening, and how trust, built one decision at a time, is what actually holds a team together under pressure.
⏱️CHAPTERS
0:53 From Green Beret to Humanitarian: Perry's Story
3:04 Why Leaders Struggle to Listen
5:34 The Feedback That Changed His Leadership
7:27 "Uniqueness Wins": Embracing What Makes You Different
9:18 Ego Isn't Your Amigo: Empowering Your Team
11:17 Building Trust Through Buy-In
15:16 How Listening Builds Influence
16:09 A Split-Second Combat Decision in Afghanistan
20:34 Founding AFG Free: Rescuing Americans After Kabul Fell
29:00 Answering the Call: Lead with Empathy
30:11 18 Series Coffee Company: Bringing Aid to Ukraine
33:14 Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
40:24 A Team Effort: Lobbying in Washington for Military Families
45:15 Perry's Best Advice for Becoming a Better Listener
ABOUT PERRY BLACKBURN
Perry Blackburn is a former Green Beret combat diver who served multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, including as part of the horse-mounted "Horse Soldiers" featured in the film 12 Strong. He is the CEO and founder of AFG Free, a nonprofit that fed, sheltered, and evacuated American citizens and allies from Afghanistan after the 2021 withdrawal, and he later founded 18 Series Coffee Company to fund humanitarian aid in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
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ABOUT VISIONARY LEADER
Leadership insights for executives, entrepreneurs, and business owners who want to lead with real influence. Not just authority. Jim Robinson is an executive coach, leadership speaker, and author of Leading with Empathy. Every week, Jim & Lori Prust share practical frameworks and honest conversations on visionary leadership, emotional intelligence, building high-performance teams, and the psychology of leadership.
📍 Work with Jim: https://www.visionaryleader.com/
📍 Jim's Book - Leading with Empathy: https://a.co/d/0bD1SpOP
📍 Connect with Jim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-robinson-18211918/
📍 Connect with Lori on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-prust-309898195/
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