TLP005: Col. (Ret.) Jill Morgenthaler – Trailblazing Leadership, Courage & Staring Down Saddam Hussein

In 1980, Colonel Jill Morgenthaler saved an American engineer from being kidnapped by the Soviets. In 2004, she stared down Saddam Hussein.

Retired Colonel Jill Morgenthaler is a woman of many firsts. She was one of the first women cadets in ROTC to train with men. At 22 years old, she was the first woman military intelligence commander along the DMZ in South Korea. She was the first woman Battalion commander in the 88th Division and she was the first woman Brigade commander in the 84th Division.

Colonel Morgenthaler received a Bronze Star in Iraq and the Legion of Merit upon her retirement in 2006.

In Illinois, Colonel Morgenthaler was the first woman to run homeland security.

She is also the author of The Courage to Take Command – Leadership Lessons from a Military Trailblazer.

Today she shares tactics and techniques for want-to-be and have-to-be leaders to be their best.

Colonel Jill spoke to her experience trailblazing as one of the first women in the direct military chain of command. She outlined her many firsts, told great stories of the adjustments she had to make and what gave her the strength to persevere. She spoke of courage, what it means to fake it ’till you make it and why you want to “stop the stupid.” She spoke how adversity is your opportunity to show the world all you’re worth and how your view of who you are is more important than how the world views you. Her view on how humility and that demonstrating respect is how you earn respect is colorfully told through some great stories. Col. Jill’s viewpoints on women in the military and in leadership positions is informed by her tremendous experience. Her background in the Korean DMZ, in Serbia and with Saddam Hussein makes for a career worthy of a movie!

Contact Jill here: