Letters to Myself with Dr. John Cordle

leadershipmanagementcultureclimateproductivitybelongingculture changecouragecombatboldnesscommunicationmentorship

Dec 10

Some leaders make their mark by following the system — and others change the system for the good of everyone who comes after them. My US Naval Academy classmate Dr. John Cordle is one of those rare leaders. Long before the Navy was ready to talk about the impact of fatigue and poor sleep on readiness and safety, John was the commanding officer willing to put his reputation on the line to get the truth heard. His work — captured in Going Circadian — has literally changed how the Navy operates and saved lives in the process. Now he’s turning that same honesty inward with his upcoming book, Letters to Myself, a collection of life lessons written with humility, courage, and the hard-earned wisdom of a leader who’s walked the walk. On this episode of No Clichés, we sit down with Captain John Cordle to explore a legacy still shaping the fleet — and the leaders in it.

More on the author:
Dr. John P Cordle, Captain USN, Retired
Dr. Cordle is a 1984 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ocean Engineering (With Merit), a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Planning from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and a Doctor of Engineering Management with a focus in Human Systems Integration from Old Dominion University. He retired in 2013 as Chief of Staff for Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic. Navy surface ship command tours including a wartime deployment in command of USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) and a counter-piracy deployment in command of USS San Jacinto (CG 56). He was the 2010 recipient of the U.S. Navy League’s Captain John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership, the 2020 BUMED Epictetus Award for Innovative Leadership for his work in Crew Endurance and Circadian Watch Rotations, and was the 2019 U.S. Naval Institute and Surface Navy Association Author of the Year Award in the 2019 ASNE Solberg Award for Research Excellence . He recently retired as the Primary Advisor to Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic on Human Factors and Performance issues.

Don’t forget to subscribe/follow wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss any of the upcoming stories and guest spots with bold leaders. You can also listen and interact on the Spotify for Podcasters link below - official home of No Clichés.

When you’ve listened to this episode, come on back here and leave a comment!

Dr. John Cordle’s book Letters to Myself is a collection of life lessons written with humility, courage, and the hard-earned wisdom of a leader who’s walked the walk. On this episode of No Clichés, we sit down with Captain John Cordle to explore a legacy still shaping the fleet — and the leaders in it.