Feedback at Its Finest: Both Honest and Kind

Feedback at Its Finest: Both Honest and Kind

As you reflect on the wisdom and counsel you have received over the years, what are the most memorable? Take a moment. Not just the ‘good’ ones, but the truly stop-you-in-your-tracks, I’ve-got-to-think-about-this-more-deeply’ kind. Hopefully, you’ve had at least a few of these. Let me tell you about one that still stands out for me, from a while back, but is now maybe more important than ever before.

Decision-Making 101

Decision-Making 101

I can’t help but notice over the last several years the basics of decision-making appear not so basic anymore. One thing is for certain, we’re all faced with important decisions, personally and/or professionally. In my opinion, such an important thing merits universal basics to apply.

Focus and Direction

Focus and Direction

There is a rule of thumb known as the 1 in 60 rule in aviation. It states that for every 1 degree a plane veers off its intended course, it will miss its target destination by one mile for every sixty miles flown.

The Delegation Dilemma

The Delegation Dilemma

What is the Delegation Dilemma? Simply put, you might wonder, should I delegate this task to a subordinate or do it myself? Many executives as well as people placed in leadership roles for the first time have difficulty relinquishing control and delegating tasks.

How to Embrace ‘Tabula Rasa’ and Prepare for a New Year

How to Embrace ‘Tabula Rasa’ and Prepare for a New Year

Every New Year gives us a chance for a fresh start and to build on the momentum from the previous 12 months. It’s a chance for leaders at all levels to reflect, assess and set new goals for the coming year.

The calendar, after all, is an artifice. Like the clock, it is a device we use to…


Managing Transitions; Private Sector Considerations from a Military Mindset

Managing Transitions; Private Sector Considerations from a Military Mindset

Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. These words seem to define business and the non-profit operating environment. Changing politics, the COVID-19 pandemic, supply challenges, and changing labor attitudes represent only a few of the many topics that leaders must address. However…

Empowerment; How to Focus on the Rising Tide and Stop Searching for Rogue Waves

Empowerment; How to Focus on the Rising Tide and Stop Searching for Rogue Waves

After an event like the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a good time to check our sight picture. While my experience is as an aviator, I will use a nautical metaphor to explain the challenge in this moment in time. After being hit by a rogue wave, our tendency is to…

Reflections upon choices: a journey committing to a life of continuous learning and a positive attitude

Reflections upon choices:  a journey committing to a life of continuous learning and a positive attitude

Several times in my life I’ve had the opportunity to take part in many educational, training and leadership development venues. For the most part when given the opportunity I gave my best effort. However, there were a few times when…

Wisdom shared on "sacrifice" by Mike "Loco" Uyboco

Mike completed a 20-year career as a Navy SEAL leading high performing teams in dynamic environments. He began his leadership journey just after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, garnering experience from the battlefields of the Middle East to the jungles of the Pacific. Throughout his military career he was mentored by some of America’s finest leaders which helped develop his own unique style of servant leadership.

Mike spent the last six years of his Naval career in a COO-equivalent role, helping senior leaders navigate complex decisions, developing actionable processes and procedures to ensure performance in crisis conditions, developing strategic partnerships within DOD, and managing the day-to-day operations of diverse 400-person organizations. The techniques he developed can be utilized to help any individual or organization achieve their full potential.

Mike excels in coaching for peak performance. As the top graduate in his SEAL training class, he understands the mindset required to achieve physical and mental mastery. Additionally, he spent over four years at the SEAL training center applying his hard-won knowledge to the assessment, selection and training of the next generation of elite warriors. He is passionate about sharing these best practices with individuals and teams from every fabric of society.

Today, he is determined to improve the lives of others by utilizing the tools he developed through his naval career. After retiring in June of 2020, Mike embarked upon a one-year RV trip around the USA, learning from the stories of others, reconnecting with over 70 families, and gaining a deeper appreciation for the country he defended for two decades. Upon return from that trip, he and his wife started a small business that was inspired by their personal journey, providing care packages for cancer patients. Mike also spends time as a personal trainer, a board member for a non-profit, and a volunteer for a disaster relief organization.

Michael is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and received his MBA at the University of San Diego.

Why do people hate seeing others win?

Why do people hate seeing others win?

Though on the surface you may believe that statement isn’t true, I challenge you to reflect on your initial reaction or the reactions from others around you when they heard of someone who was winning.

If you are the majority, someone around you probably immediately jumped in with a negative comment, judgement, or uneducated perception of the winner’s journey.

Why? Why don’t we applaud and appreciate winners more than we look for their faults?

I have an opinion on the topic.

Bad Leaders Part Two – How to Become a BAD Leader

Bad Leaders Part Two – How to Become a BAD Leader

Now that I have your attention…yes, I said become a BAD leader. In the first Wisdom installment of “Bad Leaders,” we examined how to thrive and not survive under bad leadership. In this installment we are going to examine how to be a “BAD” leader…a really good one.

PICKING YOUR TEAM: Building a high-performing culture

PICKING YOUR TEAM: Building a high-performing culture

The sounds of simulated gunfire and explosions reverberated thru the compound. Instructors barked orders at our class thru megaphones, hosed us with water, made us crawl thru the mud. For one entire week my class went thru…

Bad Leaders Part One – Serving & Learning

Bad Leaders Part One – Serving & Learning

As a Fighter Wing Commander, one of my favorite recurring events was engaging with our Airmen who were about to graduate Airmen Leadership School (ALS) along with my Command Chief. ALS is the first tier of professional military education for our enlisted force. Airmen must attend this course before taking their first level supervisory position as a non-commissioned officer (NCO). Up until this point in their careers, they have