Military Lessons in Search — Scott Swanson // iSpot.tv

Show Notes

• 03:17
  Scotts military experience

  Scott served as a sonar technician on a fast attack submarine stationed in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. The job involved conducting training exercises with aircraft carrier battle groups, monitoring naval activity, and generally maintaining a naval presence in the Pacific Ocean.
• 04:55
  Transitioning from the military into marketing

  Scott transitioned from military to construction and real estate, but after the 2008 financial crisis, he joined Microsoft to launch Microsoft Azure. Later, he worked at Apptio where he gained experience in building demand engines and working with sales development teams.
• 11:40
  How Scotts military experience influenced his career

  One of his biggest takeaways from his military experience was the military's ability to have a clear mission and focus on what's most effective. When applied to business, this strategy enables you to focus on the things that will drive the most impact with the resources available.
• 13:09
  Using data as a point of leverage for career growth

  Scotts background in using spreadsheets and data for decision-making helped him to progress in his career and differentiate himself. Essentially, he was able to develop a skill set that enabled him to bridge the gap between marketing, sales, and engineering.
• 13:54
  Lessons Scott learned from the Navy

  In the Navy, Scott learned about clarity of mission, leveraging data, and the ability to maintain professional relationships with colleagues while giving and taking orders. The latter skill is particularly valuable but often overlooked.