What if leadership isn't about having all the answers?

What if success isn't determined by outcomes alone?

And what if the most important lessons in life are the ones nobody ever teaches you?

In this episode of Be All You Can Be MSC, I sit down with recently retired Command Sergeant Major Erano "Buma" Bumanglag, a senior executive and Army leader whose 31-year career spanned Special Operations, Army Medicine, the Pentagon, disaster response, and Joint Task Force–Civil Support under U.S. Northern Command and NORAD.

Our conversation explores the realities of leadership at every level from junior Soldiers to senior executives and the life principles that helped shape his journey.

We discuss:

▪️ Why senior leaders don't have all the answers
▪️ Emotional intelligence versus rank
▪️ The relationship between officers and senior enlisted leaders
▪️ Learning from failure instead of fearing it
▪️ Tactical versus strategic leadership
▪️ The power of humility and removing ego
▪️ Why relationships matter more than credentials
▪️ His "4 Fs" philosophy: Faith, Family, Fitness, and Finance
▪️ The inspiration behind his book Life Craft Strategies: $h!t You Don't Learn in School

One of my favorite takeaways:

"Do the best job you can in the role you have today. Stop chasing the next position and become exceptional where you are."

Buma's book is a collection of practical life lessons drawn from decades of leadership experience, self-reflection, and observation. As he describes it, it's about the things we learn through failure, resilience, relationships, and experience—not from a classroom.

📚 Learn more about Life Craft Strategies: $h!t You Don't Learn in School:

• Amazon: Life Craft Strategies on Amazon

• Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life-craft-strategies-erano-buma-bumanglag/1149499857?ean=9798318824180

If you're a Soldier, NCO, officer, healthcare professional, or simply someone interested in becoming a better leader and a better human being, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now and let us know your biggest takeaway.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host’s alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.

For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC

For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com

This episode is one I believe every military healthcare leader, aspiring executive, and transition-minded professional needs to hear. Because we’re talking about something most people only discover too late: what actually separates leaders who successfully transition into healthcare executive roles… from those who don’t.

And today, we’re hearing directly from two men who have spent decades inside the rooms where those decisions are made.

First, Neill Marshall. Neill has spent nearly 30 years in healthcare executive search and has been involved in more than 600 senior-level executive assignments—including over 50 CEO searches. He helped build and lead multiple nationally recognized search firms before co-founding HealthSearch Partners, now one of the largest healthcare executive search firms in the United States.

He’s helped recruit leaders for some of the most respected healthcare organizations in the country—including executive searches for Intermountain Healthcare and Baptist Health. Simply put—Neill has seen what exceptional leadership looks like… and what it doesn’t.

Joining him is Kurt Mosley, one of the most recognized voices in healthcare workforce strategy and leadership trends today. Kurt spent more than 30 years with AMN Healthcare and Merritt Hawkins, helping shape relationships across hospital associations, physician organizations, and healthcare systems nationwide.

He’s advised thousands of healthcare leaders, spoken to more than 90 professional organizations, and has been featured in publications ranging from USA Today to Modern Healthcare. He’s also worked at the center of some of healthcare’s biggest workforce challenges—including physician shortages, staffing instability, and the future of healthcare leadership itself.

And what makes this conversation powerful… is that these two don’t just understand resumes.
They understand patterns.

They’ve seen what makes leaders rise.
What causes others to stall.
And how healthcare leadership is changing faster than most people realize.

So today, we’re diving into:
• What executive recruiters are actually looking for
• Why military leaders often struggle translating their experience
• The hidden mistakes candidates make during transition
• What the first 90 days reveal about leadership success
• And how AI and workforce disruption are reshaping the future of healthcare executives

This episode is honest. Strategic. And probably uncomfortable in all the right ways.

Check our the first 90 days at: https://healthsearchpartners.com/first-ninety-days/

Book Mentioned:

https://www.amazon.com/Your-Well-Before-Youre-Thirsty/dp/0385485468

By Burke Davis

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host’s alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.

For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC

For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com

Episode Description

In this episode of Be All You Can Be MSC, learn the five critical questions every military leader should ask at a new assignment to set yourself up for success in the first 30 days. Discover the BRICK framework for building credibility from day one.

Timestamped Show Notes

0:05 - Introduction Welcome and overview of the five essential questions for new assignments

0:40 - Rule 1: Ask for the Rating Scheme: Understanding your rater and senior rater relationships, and why asking early matters

1:32 - Rule 2: Ask for Training Guidance: Identifying commander priorities and aligning your focus with organizational objectives

2:06 - Rule 3: Ask for the Battle Rhythm: Understanding meeting schedules, product requirements, and protecting your credibility

3:18 - Rule 4: Schedule Initial Counselings: Setting expectations with both your rater and senior rater to avoid assumptions

4:20 - Rule 5: Ask Two Powerful Questions: Learning communication preferences and 90-day success expectations

5:30 - Recap and BRICK: Acronym Quick review and the memorable BRICK framework for credibility building

6:36 - Closing: Final thoughts and preview of the next episode on the first 90 days for platoon leaders

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host’s alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.

For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC

For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com