Marine to Management: Lessons in Adaptability and Leadership with Jonathan Riggs

In this episode of The Success in Motion Podcast, host Alex Burhoe sits down with Jonathan Riggs, a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel and current strategic projects leader at M&T Bank. Jonathan shares a powerful and transparent conversation about what it takes to transition from 24 years of military service to a leadership role in corporate America. His journey from the battlefield to the boardroom is packed with valuable lessons on adaptability, continuous learning, and humility.

Jonathan dives into how his combat and staff experience shaped his leadership style, how he translated military skills into civilian project management, and why building trust and understanding people is essential in any role. He also gets honest about the challenges of selling yourself after a military career and why resilience is just as critical in the job market as it was in uniform.

Whether you’re a veteran, a leader in transition, or someone seeking to bring purpose into your career, this episode offers powerful insights on growth, identity, and lifelong learning.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to successfully pivot from military to corporate life

• What project management looks like at the enterprise level

• Why understanding people is more important than any single leadership style

• The role of humility and self-awareness in career growth

• Resources veterans should be leveraging (like Hiring Our Heroes and American Corporate Partners)

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