026: “Why Is It So Damn Easy to Be a Bad Leader?” ft. Dr. Ian Beaty

Erik sits down with Dr. Ian Beaty—Major in the Oregon Army National Guard, military recruiter-turned-educational liaison, and founder of Maven Speaks. With 24 years of service and a doctorate in education, Ian’s insight cuts through the noise on what real leadership looks like, why bad leadership is so common, and how he’s bridging bureaucratic silos between the military and the education system. This conversation is a sharp, thoughtful look at systems, trust, and the future of developing people.

👤 About the Guest

Dr. Ian Beaty is a decorated military officer, organizational strategist, and the founder of Maven Speaks—a leadership and engagement consultancy. From generator mechanic to infantry officer to recruiting commander, Ian now serves as the Oregon National Guard’s first-ever educational liaison, a role he designed and pitched himself. With a master’s in organizational management and a doctorate in education, Ian blends field experience with academic rigor to shape better leaders and more connected systems.

🧭 Conversation Highlights

• How Ian built his own role to fix a gap in military recruitment
• Why adding value, not pitching, is the key to meaningful engagement
• The tension between long-term relationship-building and short-term quotas
• What makes veterans so uniquely qualified for leadership roles post-service
• How the military trains leadership differently—and what corporations can learn
• The pivotal moment Ian decided to study leadership after encountering a bad leader
• Why rebel thinkers are crucial for systems growth
• A candid breakdown of why most managers fail: no training and poor role fit

💡 Key Takeaways

• Leadership is a skill that must be trained, not assumed. Promotion without preparation leads to poor outcomes.
• Systemic gaps require entrepreneurial courage. Ian’s story is a blueprint for building roles that solve overlooked problems.
• Recruitment is more about trust and value than tactics. Meaningful relationships beat transactional checkboxes.
• Military leadership prepares people exceptionally well for civilian roles. Through succession training, pressure-tested accountability, and values-based culture.
• Being a disruptor isn’t a bug—it’s a leadership feature. Rebels with the right intent challenge broken systems for the better.

❓ Questions That Mattered

• “How did you convince your superior to hire you for a job that didn’t exist?”
• “Why do so many leaders get promoted without being trained to lead?”
• “How do you lead with empathy without becoming a pushover?”
• “What can civilian organizations learn from the military’s leadership pipeline?”
• “Why is practicing leadership like practicing free throws?”

🗣️ Notable Quotes

“I’m going to convince you to hire me for a job that doesn’t exist—and you’re going to say yes.”

“People don’t quit their job. They quit their boss.”

“The military trains leadership like a succession plan. The private sector doesn’t.”“It’s not about time. It’s about reps.”

“Leadership is influence. You don’t need a title to be a leader.”

🔗 Links & Resources

• Visit Dr. Ian’s Website www.ianbeaty.com
• Connect with Dr. Ian on LinkedIn