To follow along with the visual models spoken about in this episode, watch the videos or download the visual model worksheets at chriskolenda.com/podcast.

In this debut episode of “The Leader's Edge,” retired Army colonel Chris Kolenda explores how leaders can create unbeatable positioning for their organizations.

Drawing from his experience leading 800 paratroopers in Afghanistan and lessons from the Civil War battlefields of Antietam and Gettysburg, Chris reveals how successful leaders think upstream instead of remaining in crisis management mode. He also examines Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation as a strategic game-changer that isolated the Confederacy, and highlights General John Buford's initiative at Gettysburg that secured the Union's unbeatable position.

The episode illustrates how proactive, upstream thinking creates strategic advantages that make victory inevitable, equipping listeners with practical frameworks to position their organizations for success before challenges arise rather than constantly fighting fires.