There is a lot of middle ground between the battlefield and the boardroom but according to Leif Babin, the leadership skills necessary to be successful in both are more similar than one might think. For nine years Leif Babin served as an active duty Navy SEAL, where he learned the essentials of leadership as a platoon commander of Task Unit Bruiser on the frontlines of the War on Terror.
Babin’s extensive combat experience includes leading nearly seventy operations that greatly influenced the victory of the U.S. Army 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division in the Battle of Ramadi during the war in Iraq. For his efforts and exceptional leadership during the campaign Babin was awarded the Silver Star and the Bronze Star. Additionally, Babin received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered during combat.
Babin has ample experience as an instructor after serving as the primary leadership instructor for SEAL Officers graduating from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. Moreover, he was able to drastically rebuild and reshape SEAL leadership training because of his substantial amount of combat experience.
Though Babin is retired from active duty at present, he remains a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and his impact on the SEALs is still felt to this day. He personally trained more than 50 SEAL officers and was recognized by the Navy with a second Bronze Star for leadership.
Babin is now one of the co-founders of Echelon Front, a leadership training and consulting group that uses the lessons and skills learned by Babin and co-founder Jocko Willink during their military service to educate, train, mentor, and inspire leaders and organizations to achieve total victory. Echelon Front offers unmatched solutions in leadership, strategy, innovation, management, team building, contingency planning, and crisis management developed and proven in the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams.
Babin is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Little Warriors Foundation, a nonprofit organization that assists the children of fallen and severely wounded Navy SEALS. A native of Beaumont, Texas, Babin graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1998 and currently resides in New York City with his wife Jenna Lee, co-host of Happening Now on the Fox News Channel.
