Lead with Purpose: A 30-Year Marine on Leadership That Lasts | Tom Connally (USNA '83)

What does 30 years in the Marine Corps teach you about leadership? Tom Connally — U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1983, retired Marine Colonel, leadership coach, speaker, and author — joins host Jake Massacci to share the leadership lessons that shaped his career and the work he continues today through Connally Consulting. From growing up in a Navy family to sitting in the Pentagon on 9/11 to commanding a battalion in Ramadi, Tom breaks down what real leadership looks like when the stakes are highest — accountability, purpose, and the "seven buckets" framework he now teaches leaders everywhere. 🎙️ New episodes of Service Academy Echoes every Tuesday — stories from USMA, USNA, USAFA, USCGA & USMMA on tradition, transition, and civilian success. Chapters 00:00 Welcome Tom Connally — Go Army, Beat Navy 00:25 Meet Tom: Marine Colonel, USNA '83, Connally Consulting 00:38 "Tom Joe Connally" — the serious kid from the Academy 05:54 Walking away from the general track: family over the Pentagon 11:52 Jake's 3 a.m. moment — reordering God, country, family 12:42 "It's not about me" — learning leadership through fatherhood 14:06 9/11 in the Pentagon, then Ramadi 2004 15:44 Hanging up the uniform: the 5-year transition 16:36 A letter to his daughter becomes a book on leadership 19:45 His mission statement — and his wife's three questions 20:45 Nobody teaches leadership in the civilian world 23:57 Accountability: the triangle they don't teach you 30:20 Private Snuffy — why discipline doesn't follow us home 34:39 The seven buckets of life: strategy before leadership 41:18 Legacy: what he wants to be remembered for 45:08 Your "bid for success" — the question to ask daily 48:58 "Be what you believe" — Tom's closing charge 🔔 Subscribe for stories from every academy 🎧 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube 📸 Follow @service_academy_echoes_podcast About Tom Connally Tom Connally is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate (Class of 1983) and retired Marine Corps Colonel with 30 years of service. He is a leadership coach, speaker, author of "Becoming a Leader: A Road Map for My Daughter and the Aspiring Leader," and founder of Connally Consulting. About Service Academy Echoes Service Academy Echoes shares stories from graduates of America's five service academies ( Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine); on tradition, transition, and civilian success. Hosted by Jake Massacci. New episodes every Tuesday. #ServiceAcademyEchoes #Leadership #MarineCorps #USNA #Veterans #LeadWithPurpose