What Army Intel Taught Me About Trust | Pete A Turner

What happens when a combat spy becomes a master conversationalist? Pete A Turner's journey from Army counterintelligence agent to podcast host reveals the surprising connection between gathering intel in war zones and building trust behind the microphone. In this eye-opening conversation, Pete shares how his military training taught him to understand "ground truth" – the reality people actually live in, not the version we think they should accept. Discover why the best leaders talk less, how small wins create massive impact, and the Afghan governor's wisdom that changed Pete's entire approach to leadership: "There's only room for one sword in the scabbard."

What You'll Learn

• How military intelligence skills translate directly to business trust-building
• The "ground truth" concept that transforms difficult conversations
• Why taking responsibility for others' worries creates instant psychological safety
• Pete's rotating co-host format that creates magical guest connections
• The small wins strategy that makes big achievements inevitable
• Why the best podcasts focus on networking, not download numbers
• How to ask tough questions while keeping guests completely comfortable

YouTube Timestamps

00:00 From Combat Spy to Conversation Master

02:00 Learning Counterintelligence as Trust-Building

06:00 Ground Truth: Why Reality Matters More Than Facts

13:00 Spy Techniques for Calming Nervous Guests

22:00 No Prep Needed: Meeting People Cold

32:00 Using Podcasts as Networking Machines

36:00 The Sword Lesson: When Leaders Step Back

Resources

Guest Links:

• Pete's Podcast: https://www.breakitdownshow.com/
• Pete's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peteaturner/

Podjunction Ecosystem:

• Podjunction Home: https://podjunction.com/
• Sadaf's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sadafbeynon/