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Amid polarization, AI disruption, and eroding trust in institutions, retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal argues that what leaders need now more than ever is character. Head of the business consulting firm McChrystal Group, he has written a new book on character, drawing from his decades of experience. From AI ethics and modern warfare to hot-button issues like Signalgate and transgender service in the military, McChrystal explains why character is the foundation of lasting leadership. This is an abridged transcript of an interview from Rapid Response, hosted by the former editor-in-chief of Fast Company Bob Safian. From the team behind the Masters of Scale podcast, Rapid Response features candid conversations with todays top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Subscribe to Rapid Response wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode. I wanted to ask you about the changes that are afoot in the military and the Department of Defense. Some folks champion the idea of change. Some folks make dire predictions. For you, who have worked with military and military leaders for a long time, what’s your perspective about what’s being attempted? I would say first, if I go to 30,000 feet and look at it from a big distance, change is needed, change is appropriate. And I think it’s going to mean significant change, adoption of new technologies, changing of force structures, all of those kinds of things. All of that is correct. Even firing generals, if it’s necessary, is a good thingif you are firing generals because they don’t have the skills or they don’t have the right personalities. So all of those things, I completely sign up for, and I wouldn’t recognize a lot of sacred cows that would be exempt from hard scrutiny. Now, having said that, I am not aligned with where the current secretary of defense, how he defines some of the current issues and the direction. He talks about the warrior ethos. But the reality is, what we are trying to do is get the best military we can, and that’s not necessarily the strict warrior ethos, because soldiers are a little different. Soldiers are disciplined. They follow the rule of law. When you think about warrior, it’s got a little bit of a looser definition or interpretation usually. So that I think is probably a mistake if you start to say, “You can’t have transgender soldiers.” My response would be: One, there aren’t many. And two, if a transgender soldier is really good, we need them. We don’t have that many extra people that are really good that we can afford [to lose]. So I have a much different definition of what a really effective service member might be. I think I do. And then I also think that if you are judging military leaders on a political ideology, you’re playing with fire. And here’s why. We’ve had this extraordinary couple of centuries of the U.S. military being pretty apolitical, not always perfectly, but generally very apolitical. And although there’s friction between civilian leadership and uniforms, it’s one of the healthiest relationships that you’ve seen on the globe for 200 years. Once you start to hire and fire senior leaders based upon their political alignment with any particular ideology, you are going to affect younger military leaders. They are going to shape their behavior. They’re smart people. They’ll look up, and they’ll say, “This is what it takes to succeed in this business,” and they will start to represent that behavior. And a decade from now, or two decades from now, we’ll have a very different kind of military, and we won’t like it. It will not be the apolitical, very professional force that I knew and that I think is largely the case today. So I think it’s understanding the danger of that dynamic that is really critical. The issues around securitythis Signalgate scandal using publicly available tools to communicateis that really a big deal or is that sensationalized? One, I do think it’s a big deal. I think using Signal, even though it’s encrypted, it’s not secure. And so you are transmitting future plans on an unsecured device, which is extraordinarily dangerous for the men and women who are going to go execute that operation. So I do think that was a big deal. It was almost a reflection of amateurism. Now, the other side of it bothers me far more. We had the mistake. It comes out. Everybody knows it’s a mistake. They know that the information is extraordinarily sensitive, and they get up in front of cameras, and they say the information was not classified. Now they know that that’s not true. They know that’s a lie. It is classified, and yet they look at the camera, and they say something that maybe most Americans can’t parse the difference. But anybody who’s involved knows that people whose salaries you and I are paying in positions of great responsibility consciously and intentionally don’t tell the truth to you and I. That’s a big problem, and that’s the far greater issue here. We can minimize the event that occurred as a mistake, but we can’t minimize the lack of integrity. I’m curious how you look at AI’s potential impact on the military, and how do we know if we’re ahead or behind, especially in that competition with China? Yeah, we’ve never had anything quite like this. The closest analogy in my mind would be nuclear power, atomic weapons, and we got them first during World War II; we won the race to produce nuclear weapons and then used them first. And when other countries followed us and developed their own nuclear weapons, we got this sort of balance. The problem with artificial intelligence, and I’ve had the opportunity to do some work and a big war game on it, is that if somebody achieves artificial general intelligence before their competitors, theoretically they could then sprint ahead in a way that their competitors almost couldn’t catch up. And you could have a dominant superiority, and we’re not even a hundred percent sure what AI will do on the battlefield. We know it will make a lot of things simpler, faster, easierlogistics, planning, all those thingswhich will make an army more efficient. But as AI starts to do target discernment, autonomous engagement with weapons systems and robotics, we have an incomplete picture. Ukraine’s like a glimpse of the future. We have an incomplete picture of how dominant that will be. So I don’t think there’s any time except the pursuit of nuclear weapons where this idea of losing the race could mean losing the war. And when you think of AI, you have to blur the lines we had for many years of military power and separate from diplomatic or commercial power. Those things are now so interwoven, because the ability to leverage AI in production and things like that could give a country a decisive advantage that immediately shows itself in the military sphere. So I think first, two things have to happen. We need to be pursuing those kinds of regulations and understanding around the world that give us some opportunity to put rules and norms in place for AI. But we’re not close to it. But parallel to that, we need to be at breakneck pace trying to develop AI. And those seem i tension, in contradiction, that here we are trying to develop new nuclear weapons and at the same time, we’re trying to set up rules to limit their use. But if we lose, if we don’t get parity with AI, then we’re going to be in a position that’s extraordinarily dangerous. And that’s, again, not going to be the military; it’s going to be this broader national effort. And the topic of character that you’re so focused and compelled about. Today that applies to AI, too, and how we talk about it, whether it’s commercial uses or military. Well, I would argue character becomes more important, because the power of the individual is dramatically more than it was even 200 years ago. When we think of the old saying about Samuel Colt, who created the six gun, we say: “God made man; Sam Colt made them equal”and he leveled the playing field for people who weren’t as big and strong, as they could have an effective weapon. AI is going to do that and give extraordinary power not just to nation states, but to individuals. And so those people who have that extraordinary power, and almost all of us will have some form of it, have the ability to do great good or great evil. And so character, I think, is going to become more essential than ever.
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Dr. Drew Ramsey is a board-certified psychiatrist and psychotherapist. He is a leading voice in nutritional psychiatry and integrative mental health. He is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the founder of the Brain Food Clinic and Spruce Mental Health. For 20 years, he was an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University. His book Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety was an international bestseller, and his work has been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Today show, NPR, and other outlets. Whats the big idea? The time to start working on positive mental health outcomes should not be when a mental health crisis begins. In a country that has an epidemic of loneliness and rising depression, anxiety, and suicide rates, our society cant afford to put off healthy brain habits until they are part of a treatment plan. Modern ways of life dont naturally promote a happy, healthy mind, so its important to take initiative and proactively nurture your own brain health every day. Below, Ramsey shares five key insights from his new book, Healing the Modern Brain: Nine Tenets to Build Mental Fitness and Revitalize Your Mind. Listen to the audio versionread by Ramsey himselfin the Next Big Idea app. 1. Seeing mental health as mental fitness Mental fitness is the habits, knowledge, and patterns that support overall mental health and sound well-being. Shifting from a mental health stance to one of mental fitness is key to healing the modern brain. Our mental health epidemic is rife with concerning statistics. The rate of teenage depression has increased from 8% to 20%. There is a rise in suicide and overdose. Sixty-one million Americans are diagnosed with depression and anxiety alone. Getting into a stance of mental fitness asks us to think about mental health differently. Instead of waiting and hoping to never see someone like mewaiting until you have a mental health crisis to addressmental fitness asks us to be proactive. The human brain requires some basics regarding care and feeding, and the modern world is taking a toll on those things. Being active is great for mental health, but 80% of jobs are now sedentary. Quality sleep is absolutely essential for mental health. Shifting into a mental fitness stance asks us to be preventive about the tenets of a healthy brain. Mental fitness is different from many other programs and ideas because these tenets are very simple. If you look at heavily evidence-backed, agreed-upon healthy practices, youll find things like spending more time in nature. Grounding is one of the tenets, and, in a stance of mental fitness, you try your best to get more nature in your life, from week to week. Many great studies show that getting into nature, for even a little bit, improves and activates the immune system in wonderful ways. Research confirms that nature shifts our brains and calms us down. Change your stance into one of mental fitness by striving to build brain-healthy habits before problems arise. 2. Upgrades to brain science The latest science in mental and brain health is really hopeful. One major new concept is neuroplasticity, the idea that the brain grows and repairs itself into adult life. I finished medical school in the year 2000. We didnt know about neuroplasticity, but now it is coming to light that there is a molecule that your genes code for called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), and certain activities and foods help you make more BDNF. Its like a brain growth agent. When our brain weakens or declines, its not necessarily permanent. We can turn on and off genes that promote brain growth and repair. We may not have complete control, but we can do much in our everyday choices to improve brain health. Inflammation is now understood to be at the heart of some depression and anxiety cases. Another part of upgrading brain science is thinking about inflammation in relation to the brain. Inflammation is a buzzword in science. It is part of our bodys natural and important protection and alarm systems. It is how we defend ourselves from viruses, bacteria, and all sorts of invaders. Inflammation is now understood to be at the heart of some depression and anxiety cases. Its important to start thinking about modern mental health in modern ways. The last major upgrade to brain science is about the microbiome. Many people never thought that the organisms living in your colon relate to mental health. As it turns out, the gut is the biggest part of our immune system. Eating more plants and fermented foods shifts your microbiome into a healthier state that regulates inflammation. Never before in my career has there been so much great science to support recommending fermented foods to my patients. 3. The first tenet of mental fitness is self-awareness. I start the nine tenets with self-awareness. In the book, I tell the story of a woman who started drinking a little more during the pandemic. I worked with her and came to appreciate her self-awareness. She started counting drinks, checking in with me about alcohol, and thinking more about the risks of alcohol in her life. That put her on the path to getting control of her drinking. Self-awareness allows you to better understand how your activities shape the self. It doesnt have to be therapy. Im a big fan of journaling. By writing down thoughts and feelings, putting labels on what were experiencing, research has shown an associated increase in frontal lobe activity. These parts of our brain are involved in executive functioning, decision-making, and getting stuff done. There is brain health value in taking more time and a little more effort to focus on the self. Getting to know and care for yourself in new and different ways is at the heart of healing the modern brain. 4. Feeding mental health Mental fitness as a concept really hit home for me through my work in nutritional psychiatry. When I was a young doctor training as a psychiatrist at Columbia, it was striking to me as a farm boy that we didnt talk at all about nutrition. We werent trained or encouraged to ask patients what they were eating, but it seemed like a big opportunity. If you have depression and eat a vegetarian diet versus a keto diet versus a junk food diet, all of those dietary patterns impact treatment and provide different opportunities. The SMILES Trial of 2017 showed that when individuals who were in mental health treatments for depression were counseled on a Mediterranean diet, they saved a lot of money and their depression got a lot better. A third of them went into complete remission from their clinical depression. This study is an example of an augmentation strategy with foods, meaning a Mediterranean diet is added on top of treatment. There is brain health value in taking more time and a little more effort to focus on the self. Feeding mental health well is a daily opportunity for everyone, not only patients. It can feel overwhelming. There is a lot of fearmongering and misinformation about nutrition; my work helps you cutthrough the noise to simple things like lentils, pesto, wild salmon, anchovies, and white beans. Those are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, meaning they have more nutrients per calorie than other foods, and they also have specific nutrients that we know the brain needsan easy place to get started. 5. Boosting mental fitness In my time with patients during classic 45-minute sessions, I see how important connections are. The recent surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, noted that we have an epidemic of loneliness and isolation in America. We increasingly see people losing friends, and spending less time socializing and less time going out. Young folks, especially, are growing more isolated. This awareness needs to be turned into action. In my chapter about connection, I share the story of a middle-aged man I worked with who was post-divorce. He was very connected to his kids, so it was hard for him when they left for college. He enjoyed fantasy football, but was struggling to connect with the real-life elements surrounding the sport. Helping him to engage with other fans and attend games in person was a significant part of his healing. A web of connections is not just friends and loved ones. It is important to map out all our different types of connections. Its not just the ride-or-die folks in your life: connections to institutions, mentors, mentees, or to meaningful places matter too. This process (great journal entry) can help a person feel connected to themselves and see pathways that can expand their life. You could end up going to the farmers market regularly to connect more with the people who grow your food, or attend a town hall meeting to feel part of your community. The best time to start caring for your brain is before something goes wrong. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission.
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Lately, Ive felt weighed down by the constant churn of chaos and uncertaintylike Im carrying a low-grade tension in my body that never fully lets up. The news is dizzying. The pace of change is relentless. Some days it feels like were lurching from one crisis to the next with no time to process, no moment to exhale. I find myself waking up already bracing for what the day might bring. Its like the ground is constantly shifting, and were all being asked to find our footing in real time. And then there are the quieter, internal questions I carry with methe ones that tug at me in the middle of the night or when Im trying to make sense of the day: Am I doing enough? Am I doing the right things? What happens nextin my work, my community, this fragile world were raising our kids in? How do I protect what I love in a world that feels so unpredictable? The truth is, uncertainty makes me anxious. I like a plan. A path. A sense of direction. Ive always found comfort in being the one who has it together, who can anticipate needs, offer advice, solve the problem. I used to believe that being preparedbeing in controlwas the answer. That if I could just think far enough ahead, work hard enough, care enough, I could stay one step ahead of the chaos. But that illusion has cracked open. The world is too complex for neat plans. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/03\/acupofambition_logo.jpg","headline":"A Cup of Ambition","description":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career and being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit acupofambition.substack.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}} 1% more curious The one (only?) good thing about being addicted to reading the headlines is that I get more exposure to other articles as well. A few weeks ago, I read a beautiful essay by Suleika Jaouad about her cancer diagnosis (gift link here). In it, she explores the evolution of her relationship with fearbeginning with an overwhelming unease around mice and culminating in a deeper confrontation with mortality and uncertainty following her leukemia diagnosis and relapse. But what really struck me was the final line:Thats what I found on the other side of fear: the knowledge that I can handle it, whatever it isas long as Im one percent more curious than afraid.” Asking better questions Yes! Yes. Curiosity. Of course. One of the first things I learned in coach training is that coaching isnt about having the answers. Its about asking better questions. Its about holding space for exploration instead of rushing to resolution. Its about trusting that people have wisdom inside themnot because you give it to them, but because you help them uncover it. Needless to say, what we can seamlessly apply in other parts of our lives can be hard to internalize ourselves. We might be masters at holding space for others questions, but when it comes to our own, we often default to urgency, control, and the desperate hunt for answers. But what I continue to learn and relearn is that certainty is often a false promise. It quiets anxiety in the short term, but it doesnt foster growth. Curiosity does. When I stop demanding answers from the world, I create a little more space to breathe, to move, to imagine. That shift doesnt come easily. Its much more natural to grip tightly than to open up. But embracing curiosity is a practice, not a personality trait or a fixed mindset. And when I can extend to myself the same spacious, open-ended wondering I offer others, something inside softens. I dont need to have it all figured out. I just need to be willing to stay in the unknown a little longer. Putting it into practice Here are a few tangible strategies that help me when I feel myself bracing against the unknown: Ask better questions When I catch myself spiraling into fear, I try to interrupt the loop with questions that open space instead of closing it. Instead of, “What if this all goes wrong?,” I ask, “What might I learn from this? or Whats one small thing I can act on today? These questions dont have neat answers, but they remind me that I have agency, even in uncertainty. Name whats true now Fear tends to time-travel, pulling us into imagined futures. Curiosity helps bring us back to the present. I try to ask myself, What do I know for sure right now? Whats actually happening, and what am I projecting? Be curious about your fear itself Sometimes I sit with my fear and ask it questions: What are you trying to protect? Whats underneath this for you? Usually, I find something tendera deeply held value, a longing, a hope. And suddenly, the fear feels less like a threat and more like a signal. Present in the mess None of this removes the chaos or quiets the headlines. It doesnt give me a five-year plan or a tidy sense of control. But it does give me a way to stay present in the mess. A way to keep moving, even when the path ahead isnt clear. Curiosity doesnt promise certaintybut it offers something better: connection. To ourselves. To what matters. To each other. So, these days, when the ground feels unsteady and I start to brace against the unknown, I tryimperfectly, but intentionallyto choose curiosity over control. To soften instead of grip. To ask, instead of answer. Its not always comfortable, but it helps me stay rooted in whats real and responsive to whats next. And for now, that feels like a good place to begin. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/03\/acupofambition_logo.jpg","headline":"A Cup of Ambition","description":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career and being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit acupofambition.substack.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}}
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