Take Command: A Leadership Podcast

Episode: Climbing Higher—Leadership Lessons from Adversity to Impact

Date: October 14, 2025
Host: Joe Hart (B), CEO of Dale Carnegie
Guest: Jose Garcia (A), President, Alberici Constructors

Overview

In this episode, Joe Hart speaks with Jose Garcia, President of Alberici Constructors, about his incredible journey from a childhood marked by war and scarcity in Nicaragua to leading one of North America's top construction firms. Jose shares deep lessons on the impact of adversity, the principles of effective leadership, the role of mentorship, the power of feedback, and the sustaining practices of self-awareness and gratitude. He also recounts stories from West Point, transformative experiences with Dale Carnegie training, and personal growth milestones—including summiting Mount Kilimanjaro and founding a nonprofit for Nicaraguan orphans.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. From War-Torn Beginnings to Professional Success

• Upbringing in Nicaragua:
  Jose reflects on his childhood in 1980s Nicaragua during civil war and economic embargoes, living in scarcity as refugees in Guatemala. He credits his parents, both civil engineers, for instilling the value of education and integrity despite challenges.

  "We grew up poor... but we always had the principle of self improvement, continuous learning." [03:56]

• Lessons in Resilience, Grit, and Character:
  Jose shares stories that shaped his perseverance and honesty, including his mother's teachings on the importance of seeking opportunities and always acting with integrity.

  "Knock and will be open to you. Seek and you will find. Ask and you will receive... grit and perseverance." [04:45] "She said, why did you take more money than you were due? Go back, apologize, return the balance." [05:37]

• The Power of Optimism:
  A family motto, “One day will be day,” exemplified their enduring hope and positive outlook.

  "There was never a lack of optimism. There was one saying in my family... one day will be day. The sun will shine." [06:44]

2. Education as a Launchpad—West Point, Stanford, MIT

• Getting to West Point:
  Encouraged by a school friend, Jose became the first Nicaraguan in over 20 years to gain admission, emphasizing meritocracy and personal effort.

  "All it mattered was yourself, what you brought to the table, your performance, your effort, your character." [09:28]

• Fourfold Challenge at West Point:
  Jose describes balancing academics, physical and military training, and ethical challenges. The lessons from prioritizing and handling pressure prepared him for leadership.

  "None of them individually necessarily was a challenge, but when you stack them together... that was the pressure test." [10:48]

3. Principles of Effective Leadership

• Followership First:
  At West Point and beyond, learning to follow was essential before leading.

  "In order to lead, you need to learn how to follow." [13:28]

• Mentorship & Coaching:
  Jose attributes much of his growth to mentors who gave candid feedback and believed in his potential.

  "They told me what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear. They believed in me before I believed in myself." [14:19]

• Feedback as a Leadership Responsibility:
  He argues that giving and receiving feedback is essential and that withholding it is, in fact, unkind.

  "Feedback is kind and I actually think when we don't give feedback, I think it's cruel." [15:43]

4. The Power of Feedback—A Dale Carnegie Transformation

• Personal Story of Growth Through Feedback:
  Jose recounts how a mentor’s feedback—delivered with belief and care—prompted his journey with Dale Carnegie training.

  "He said, 'Jose, I really believe in you... but you need to work on your soft skills. I'm going to send you to a Dale Carnegie course.'" [16:35]

• Full Circle with Dale Carnegie:
  Now, as a leader, he brings these lessons to his teams, leveraging Dale Carnegie programs to build better relationships and stronger company culture.

  "We're using Dale Carnegie to help people be more successful, to have the benefit that I had." [17:33]

• Humility and Self-Awareness:
  Jose stresses that leaders should model vulnerability and continual self-improvement, not perfection.

  "No one is... we all have areas of growth, weaknesses, we also have strengths. Be vulnerable about your own journey." [19:27]

5. Three Dimensions of Leadership

• Self-Discipline, Self-Confidence, Self-Awareness:
  For Jose, true leadership balances all three—particularly self-awareness, which calibrates confidence and underpins servant leadership.

  "Self confidence can come across as arrogance if it's not informed by self awareness. But when it is, self confidence comes across as a humble servant leader." [21:44]

• Making Feedback Safe and Routine:
  Leaders should actively solicit feedback, making it safe for others to be honest.

  "As a leader, we should always be asking for feedback. We should make it safe for others to tell us what we did wrong." [22:30]

• Growth Mindset:
  Inspired by Carol Dweck’s research, Jose advocates for believing in people's ability to grow, which shapes leadership approach and organizational culture.

  "If we see other people as people that can grow... your leadership style will be different than if you have a fixed mindset." [24:16]

6. Mindset, Failure, and Continued Personal Growth

• Embracing Failure as Growth:
  Jose describes a pivotal course at Stanford—“Failing Your Way to Success”—that reframed his attitude toward risk and learning.

  "It really shifted my mindset about failure. It taught me to embrace it." [27:15]

• Daily Practices: Gratitude and Choosing Leadership:
  He begins each day with gratitude and the intention to have a positive, successful day, shaping both attitude and performance.

  "Those first thoughts that you have as you start your day can definitely shape... your day goes." [28:38] "Every day we can make a choice. I think leadership is a choice." [29:10]

7. Leadership as Action and Service

• Leadership Defined:
  Leadership, for Jose, is not a title, but the decision to act when there’s an opportunity, based on passion, competence, and character.

  "Leadership is making that choice to act when you see the opportunity to make a difference..." [31:33]

• Blending Passion and Impact—Strong to Serve:
  Jose describes founding his charity, Strong To Serve, combining his love for running with a mission to help orphans in Nicaragua.

  "It was the intersection of passion and the acknowledgement that I could do something..." [32:56]

• Building Thriving Teams and Legacy:
  Inspired by Alberici’s 100+ year history, Jose describes his responsibility to "leave it better" and foster an environment where people thrive.

  "The challenge for me... is how do we live it better when we leave?" [35:24]

8. Mount Kilimanjaro—A Final Leadership Insight

• One Step, One Breath:
  The experience of summiting Kilimanjaro, with the guidance to go “pole, pole” (slowly, one step at a time), underscored the importance of pacing, heeding wisdom, and relying on others.

  "When we get close to the summit, you really have to do one step, one breath... The importance of listening... you get to the top as a team." [37:20] "You never stop learning... It's just another opportunity to continue to grow." [38:01]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Knock and will be open to you. Seek and you will find. Ask and you will receive." – Jose Garcia [04:45]
• "I don't care to be right. I do care to do what's right. There's a difference." – Jose Garcia [21:15]
• "Feedback is kind. When we don't give feedback, it's cruel." – Jose Garcia [15:43]
• "For me, self awareness is the number one predictor of success as a growing leader." – Jose Garcia [23:37]
• "Leadership is a choice... It's making that choice to act when you see the opportunity to make a difference." – Jose Garcia [31:33]
• "One step, one breath." – Lesson from Kilimanjaro climb [37:18]

Key Timestamps

• Upbringing & Parental Lessons: [02:54] – [07:11]
• West Point Experience: [08:42] – [12:39]
• Leadership & Feedback: [13:24] – [17:41]
• Transformative Dale Carnegie Experience: [16:19] – [17:41]
• Principles of Self-Aware Leadership: [21:07] – [26:50]
• Growth Mindset & Failure: [26:44] – [27:50]
• Daily Leadership Practices: [28:33] – [30:25]
• Leadership as Service & Strong to Serve: [31:23] – [36:40]
• Mount Kilimanjaro Climb Story: [37:09] – [38:46]

Tone & Style

Jose Garcia speaks with humility, gratitude, and an unwavering focus on growth, learning, and service. The discussion is deeply personal yet laced with actionable leadership wisdom, blending stories from adversity with practical takeaways for leaders in any context.

For More

• To support Strong to Serve: strongtoserve.org [34:35]
• Explore Dale Carnegie resources: dalecarnegie.com