Commander's Intent

Derek Oaks
  • 5.0 (17)
  • Careers

Commander's Intent with Derek Oaks When the pressure’s on, can you make the call? Commander's Intent helps leaders at every level make confident, timely decisions that drive real results. Hosted by Colonel (Ret.) Derek Oaks, former Air Force fighter pilot and leadership mentor, this podcast blends stories from combat and business to teach you how to lead with clarity, courage, and purpose. Learn to define your mission, empower your team, and execute with confidence. 

  1. 2h ago

    Why Trust Matters More Than Talent with David Bickel

    What happens when trust is the difference between success and failure, or even life and death? In this episode of Commander's Intent, Derek Oaks sits down with retired Air Force JTAC and business leader David Bickel to explore why trust is the foundation of every high-performing team. Drawing from combat deployments, close air support missions, and leadership experience in both military and business environments, David shares powerful lessons on communication, accountability, credibility, and decision-making under pressure. Discover how elite teams build trust through competence, clarity, honest feedback, and a culture of continuous improvement. Whether you're leading a business, managing a team, or navigating high-stakes decisions, this conversation will challenge you to rethink how trust is earned, maintained, and leveraged for success. Because when the pressure is highest, trust isn't just important. It's everything.

    41 min

  2. Jun 11

    The Leadership Secret Fighter Pilots Call "Motherhood"

    What if the key to extraordinary leadership isn't found in the big decisions, but in the small things you do every day? In this episode of Commander's Intent, retired Air Force Colonel Derek Oaks shares a heartfelt tribute to his mother and the powerful leadership lesson she taught him without ever stepping into a boardroom or cockpit. Drawing on the fighter pilot concept of "motherhood," Derek explains why great leaders focus on the essential routines, systems, and habits that make success possible. From aviation and business to sports and everyday life, Derek reveals how mastering the fundamentals creates the foundation for excellence, improves decision-making, reduces distractions, and allows individuals and teams to perform at their highest level. He also explores how effective leaders eliminate unnecessary friction, establish clear standards, and create environments where people can focus on what matters most. If you want to become a stronger leader, improve team performance, and achieve better results, this episode offers a simple but powerful reminder: greatness is built on the fundamentals.

    12 min

  3. Jun 4

    How to Lead Inside a Large Organization

    What does it take to lead effectively when you're caught between executive decisions and the needs of your team?  In this episode of Commander's Intent, Derek Oaks sits down with leadership consultant, author, and former financial executive  Douglas Scherer to explore the realities of leading inside large organizations. Drawing from more than 20 years in a global financial institution, Douglas shares powerful lessons on navigating organizational change, managing different leadership styles, building trust, developing future leaders, and staying true to your values when priorities don't always align.  Whether you're a manager, executive, military leader, or aspiring leader, you'll gain practical insights on leading through uncertainty, empowering your team, handling workplace politics, and creating impact without losing sight of your own vision and purpose. Visit his website: https://www.douglasscherer.com/

    36 min

  4. May 28

    The Most Powerful Leaders Make People Feel Seen

    In this episode of Commander’s Intent, retired Air Force Colonel Derek Oaks sits down with keynote speaker, consultant, and ICU Living founder Julie De Jesus for a powerful conversation about leadership, mental health, trust, and the human need to feel seen. Drawing from her own experience overcoming toxic leadership and burnout, Julie shares how one mentor changed the course of her life simply by making her feel valued, heard, and connected. Together, Derek and Julie explore why human connection is becoming one of the most important leadership skills in today’s workplace and how leaders who create trust, appreciation, and psychological safety consistently bring out the best in their teams. They unpack the impact of appreciation, vulnerability, emotional safety, and meaningful communication while discussing why employees do not leave companies as much as they leave environments where they feel unseen, unheard, and disconnected. This conversation also dives into leadership vulnerability, innovation, mental health after COVID, emotional intelligence, and why creating spaces where people feel safe to contribute, fail, ask for help, and be human can dramatically improve workplace culture, engagement, and performance. Julie shares the core principles behind ICU Living and explains why “happiness isn’t your business, connection is.” This episode is a powerful reminder that when people feel seen, trusted, and appreciated, they do not just work harder, they become deeply committed to the mission, the team, and the leader who helped them feel human again.

    31 min

  5. May 21

    How to Live With Gratitude When Life Gives You a Second Chance

    Fifty-eight years ago, a 23-year-old soldier named Larry Weist was stacked with the bodies of the dead after a helicopter was shot out of the Vietnam sky. Then someone saw his hand move.  In this episode of Commander's Intent, retired Air Force Colonel Derek Oaks shares the story of his friend Larry, and the one decision Larry made when he realized he'd been given a second chance at life. It's a quieter episode than most, and it might be the one you remember longest.  You'll hear why gratitude is a decision rather than a feeling and how to make it daily, the mindset shift that turned 58 borrowed years into a life of impact, what it looks like to lead your family, your work, and your community with love even when life hurts, the question Derek wants every leader to sit with this week, and why the most important decision you make today might have nothing to do with strategy.  If you've been moving too fast to notice what you've been given, this one is your pause button.  Subscribe to Commander's Intent and head to commandersintentpodcast.com for Derek's free leadership guide.

    10 min

  6. May 14

    How High Performers Stay Focused When Everything Feels Urgent

    In this episode, Derek Oaks shares powerful lessons from flying combat missions, training fighter pilots, and navigating high-pressure environments where one wrong decision can change everything. Through real stories from the cockpit and everyday life, he breaks down the concept of “focus allocation” and why multitasking is one of the biggest myths sabotaging performance, leadership, and decision-making. You’ll learn how elite performers identify what matters most in the moment, eliminate distractions, and build the mental discipline required to stay effective under pressure, in business, relationships, and life.

    13 min

  7. May 7

    Mission First or People First? The Leadership Truth No One Tells You

    Mission first… or people first? What if that’s the wrong question entirely? In this episode, Derek Oaks dives into one of the most debated topics in leadership and challenges the idea that you have to choose between results and relationships.  Through real-world stories from the military and business, you’ll hear how focusing too much on the mission can burn out your team and how focusing only on people can cause everything to fall apart. The truth? The best leaders understand that mission and people are not separate; they’re deeply connected. This conversation unpacks what happens when leaders miss that balance, how short-term thinking can damage long-term success, and why trust, communication, and awareness are critical to building high-performing teams. If you’ve ever struggled with leading people while still hitting goals, this episode will shift your perspective and give you a more powerful way to lead.

    25 min

  8. Apr 30

    How Robert G. Novotny Makes High-Stakes Decisions: Fighter Pilot Leadership Secrets

    Have you ever hesitated in a critical moment—knowing a decision had to be made, but unsure if it was the right one? In this high-impact episode of Commander’s Intent, Derek Oaks sits down with retired Air Force General and fighter pilot Robert G. Novotny to break down how elite leaders make decisions under pressure—and how you can apply the same principles in business and life.  From the cockpit of an F-15 to leading large-scale operations in the private sector, Robert shares how fighter pilots are trained to process massive amounts of information, make fast, effective decisions, and adapt in real time—where hesitation can cost everything. But this isn’t just about speed—it’s about clarity, structure, and confidence in execution. You’ll learn how to gather the right information without overthinking, when to act immediately versus when to wait for better data, and how empowering others to make decisions can transform your leadership. This episode also dives into one of the most powerful but overlooked tools in leadership—the debrief—and how reviewing decisions (good or bad) is the key to continuous improvement. If you’re leading a team, running a business, or simply trying to make better decisions in your own life, this conversation will give you a practical framework to cut through uncertainty and act with confidence. Hit play and learn how to think, decide, and lead like a fighter pilot.

    36 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Commander's Intent with Derek Oaks When the pressure’s on, can you make the call? Commander's Intent helps leaders at every level make confident, timely decisions that drive real results. Hosted by Colonel (Ret.) Derek Oaks, former Air Force fighter pilot and leadership mentor, this podcast blends stories from combat and business to teach you how to lead with clarity, courage, and purpose. Learn to define your mission, empower your team, and execute with confidence. 

Information

  • Creator
    Derek Oaks
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Commander's Intent
  • Show Website
    Commander's Intent

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