In Episode 19 of Think Big, Win Bigger, Dennis Sorenson is joined by Michael McConnell, Chief Operating Officer of Bird Electric, to explore the leadership lessons Michael carried from his ten years in the U.S. Marine Corps into his career in the infrastructure industry. Michael shares how his military experience shaped the way he approaches leadership, accountability, communication, and developing the next generation of leaders. What does it take to lead nearly a thousand professionals? His answer: "to be a good leader, you have to develop more leaders." Michael introduces the OSMIAC framework he learned in the Marine Corps: Orientation, Situation, Mission, Execution, Administration & Logistics, and Command & Control. He explains how he applies it to business today, connecting it to clear communication, repeatable processes, accountability, and trusting teams to execute. Dennis connects these principles to Ambition, Strategy, and Execution, as well as Plan, Prepare, Practice, Play. What happens when growth depends too heavily on the founder? They discuss developing people, building sales as a strategic asset, and creating the systems needed to scale beyond one leader. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Michael McConnell. In This Episode: (00:00) From Vermont to the Marine Corps to the power grid (04:29) What the Marine Corps teaches about leadership (09:34) The OSMIAC framework for planning and execution (16:19) Field-first decisions, KPIs, and accountability without bureaucracy (20:52) Why growth by reputation alone hits a ceiling (24:34) Building sales as an asset to the business Share with a sales leader or seller who's ready to build something that lasts. Subscribe to hear all future episodes! About the Show Think Big. Win Bigger is hosted by Dennis Sorenson, CEO of Cove Group, a strategic partner for companies seeking to optimize sales performance and achieve sustainable growth. With deep expertise in enterprise sales and fractional CRO leadership, Dennis specializes in addressing challenges at the point of friction—where inefficiencies, misalignment, or resistance occur within the sales process. The podcast is built on Process-Driven Sales and the three pillars of Ambition, Strategy, and Execution. Each episode breaks down the systems and operating rhythms that drive predictable performance, giving leaders and sellers practical insights they can use immediately. This is for professionals who are ready to stop improvising, start operating with intention, and build repeatable success over time. Resources: Produced by Castos Productions: https://castos.com/productions/ Michael McConnell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-mcconnell-mba-40a46a1b8/ Process-Driven Sales Substack: https://processdrivensales.substack.com/ Dennis Sorenson LinkedIn Cove Group Horizons West Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Welcome(00:01:14) - Mac's Background: From Vermont to the Marine Corps(00:02:18) - Joining the Marines and Entering the Power Line Industry(00:03:44) - From PAR/Quanta to COO of Bird Electric(00:04:18) - Marine Corps Leadership Lessons(00:06:04) - Developing Leaders and Training Officers(00:07:48) - Leading Through People and Succession Planning(00:09:07) - Transitioning Military Discipline into Business(00:10:49) - Breaking Down the OSMIAK Framework(00:14:42) - Command and Control as Leadership(00:16:15) - Field-First Decision Making and Accountability(00:18:09) - KPIs, Backlog, and Sales Strategy Metrics(00:19:59) - Avoiding Bureaucracy While Staying Accountable(00:20:36) - How the Infrastructure Industry Has Viewed Sales(00:21:37) - Founder Limitations and Scaling Beyond Reputation(00:24:31) - Reframing Sales as a Growth Asset(00:26:23) - Closing Thoughts and Part One Wrap-Up