A 15-year Navy SEAL with an eye on the future, Jonathan Wilson sought a deeper understanding of business in the Program for Leadership Development (PLD) at Harvard Business School. The program delivered value far beyond his expectations, and sharing his insights is now one important way Wilson helps fellow SEALs prepare for private sector careers.
Why did you decide to attend PLD?
In the military, we develop experience in leadership, team building, and a range of specialties. But when I thought about what I would do after leaving the service, I knew I lacked business acumen and an understanding of how I could apply my leadership skills in a business context. I started looking for a top-quality program that would be flexible, given that I am a father and still active in the military. I decided on PLD and took advantage of the Montgomery GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon program to help fund my tuition.
How did PLD compare with your expectations?
I did not know what to expect. I expected that it would fall short of a two-year MBA program or another graduate program but would still provide a good networking opportunity. I was completely shocked—because at the end I realized I'd been way off base. In my opinion, PLD was better than anything I've seen. It was an amazing program that hit every single wicket I was trying to achieve personally. I'm now pushing people who are transitioning out of the military to consider PLD.
I wanted a basic understanding of all facets of a business—operations, accounting, how people have mitigated and managed risk, and so forth. I wanted to possess the tools and resources necessary to understand and speak the language of business. The program delivered ten times over! I was blown away by how much we were able to cram into such a short period of time—and by how much real knowledge I came away with.
Why did you found the SEAL Future Fund?
The SEAL Future Fund (SFF) is a nonprofit organization that provides resources to prepare active duty and veteran SEALs for success in the civilian world. Some fellow SEALs and I cofounded SFF in 2013 because we saw a gap in the tools and resources out there to help SEALs make a successful transition into civilian life. We partner with elite businesses and academic institutions to help bridge that gap. I was so impressed by my experience in PLD that we've partnered with HBS to help some of my teammates go through the program.
How did the other participants contribute to your learning?
The caliber of the participants at PLD was much higher than I expected. These were amazing, very successful individuals.
The business case experience was phenomenal. As we discussed a case, I heard many different perspectives from around the world. I saw how people from the U.S. and Russia and Africa think about things differently, and I developed an understanding not only of what they would choose to do but also why they thought about it that way. I really enjoyed hearing everyone's perspective. I constantly disagreed with classmates, but I respected their opinions and their reasoning.
That experience really opened my eyes to the fact that a leader needs to take a step back and get everyone’s perspective before making a big decision. It may seem like the right decision to you, but as a global leader you have to understand the whole team's perspective.
Was it difficult to come into the program without business experience?
Having been a SEAL for 15 years, not many things make me nervous. But I was a bit concerned that my background would be inadequate. After the first day, though, I discovered that the incredible diversity of the program allowed me to contribute by bringing to the table my own skills and what I've learned in my community. We talked about my background, my team's missions, and how we managed risk.
It's true that I had no experience directly in business, but in the military I've learned a lot about leadership—how to tie teams together and how to communicate. I realized I'd taken that knowledge and skill for granted and that I could definitely add value in those areas. In turn, I drew on the experience and expertise of others, especially the people in my living group. We all learned from one another.
Which aspects of the curriculum stand out for you?
All of the courses were great. I had no previous exposure to accounting, for example, but I stepped outside my comfort zone and dug into the material. I now feel comfortable that I can understand a balance sheet and can talk intelligently about the issues.
The most meaningful part of the curriculum for me was the alumni challenge group project. I learned a great deal by observing how our group worked together as a global team. Everyone provided input and we created a great result—one that I believe delivered real value to the alumni's company. That experience made me want to go into consulting.
When you are talking to other military colleagues about their future, how do you describe the benefits of PLD?
One of our guys was going through some coaching recently, and we encouraged him to attend PLD. He said he could not see how it would benefit him. I told him, "You're the best at what you do. PLD takes people who are the best and makes them better." As cheesy as that sounds, it's true—PLD makes you a better person because it exposes your weaknesses. For those of us in the military, our weakness is that we don't have exposure to the business world, and we don't have the network. But what we do bring to the table is certainly useful. PLD is valuable because it gives us the exposure we need and makes us better all-around business contributors and leaders.
Two colleagues are going through the program now and just finished the first on-campus module. We compared notes and entirely agreed about that amazing experience of being on campus. Each day we got more comfortable, and, at the same, time we were learning so much! One colleague noticed, "We didn't know what we didn't know." PLD helps you understand what there is to know and then starts improving your grasp of business.
How did PLD prepare you for the next step in your career?
PLD exposed my weaknesses and highlighted my strengths. I am comfortable knowing what I do well and how I can benefit different kinds of businesses, but I'm also aware of my weaknesses. That's exactly what I needed. I was uncomfortable contemplating a shift into the business world because I did not know how I could add value. I wanted to help people. That's what I have always done—in the military and with the nonprofit—and that's what I want to do in the consulting business. But I wasn't sure whether I could do that. At PLD, I saw that everyone has different skill sets and knowledge and that I, too, have something to contribute.