What pressure can teach you about leadership with Don Faul
What pressure can teach you about leadership with Don Faul  
Podcast: Worklife with Molly Graham
Published On: Tue Jul 28 2026
Description: A good leader is one who anchors and supports their team under pressure—and nowhere are the stakes higher than in the military. Don Faul spent five years as an officer in an elite unit in the Marine Corps. He then went on to become one of the most important operational leaders at Facebook, where he built and ran global teams during the company's most intense years of growth before he left to lead Google and CrossFit. In this episode, Molly and Don reflect on how Don’s time in the military shaped his approach to leadership, and unpack the lessons he absorbed as a young officer learning to lead under intense pressure. Don also emphasises the importance of humility and service as a leader, shares what he learned working under General Mattis, and recounts the strategies and philosophies he carried with him in his transition from military to civilian leadership.  Featured guestFollow Don Faul on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at https://www.crossfit.com/Connect with the teamFollow Molly on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at glueclub.com/Subscribe to Molly’s Substack LessonWatch WorkLife videos on YouTube at TEDPodsFollow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit https://www.ted.com/podcasts/worklife-transcripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.