Our Team
Mac believes the true value of any organization is the health and determination of the teams that comprise it. A great team is a resilient team made up of talented and committed members and leaders who grow and learn together, oftentimes through adversity. Whether he was leading his first company in aerospace, or managing technical teams in oil/ gas, Mac feels great teams have this in common – The ability to manage many competing interests while maintaining focus on the objective and serving a purpose greater than the individual.
His diverse military background that spanned amphibious operations in the SpecOps community to flying military jets, left him with significant takeaways. Success or failure of the team is tethered to these truths: Trust in leadership, confidence in peers, and support from subordinates. Additionally, drawing from both military and civilian experiences; a strong team has fun together.
There should exist a sense of humor that bonds and identifies them as a unit. It’s not required, but it’s certainly okay to laugh and pursue excellence at the same time.
When asked to share a quote or phrase with the readers, Mac’s response was simply “phronesis”. Phronesis is a Greek word defining “a specific type of wisdom relevant to practical action, implying both good judgment and excellence of character, or practical virtue.” This concept is compelling because it suggests that traits or attributes thought to be unrelated are in fact very interconnected to form the powerful concept of “practical virtue.”
Wisdom + Action + Character = Positive Outcomes. By today’s standards wisdom is not often associated with practicality, or one’s character associated with their ability… politics would look very different if that were the case. The contemporary has placed little value on the ancient idea of “practical virtue,” but could it be a missing key ingredient to building high-performing teams.
Like the concept of phronesis, Mac envisions the tenets of HOP as a challenge to take a step back to evaluate the basics. Did we miss something in our zeal for complexity and bureaucracy? Have we misplaced our priorities on metrics and overlooked the impact of the human condition within the complex system? As our world and systems become more specialized, the idea of HOP brings us full circle to the focal point of people. The undeniable truth that we are, and have always been, the critical component.
Mac served in the United States Marine Corps for 15 years, and another 8 years in the US Navy.
He began as an enlisted Marine in SpecOps. After completing his degree, he was commissioned as an Officer and flew AV-8B Harriers with the Famous Black sheep Squadron. From there he completed an inner service transfer to the Navy Reserves and flew T-45 Goshawks as a flight instructor until he retired in 2012. During that time, he founded Wraith Systems which provides the stick & throttle flight controls for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Mac holds a BA degree from the University of Nevada. He enjoys competing in Ironman triathlons and other endurance events. He also enjoys leading mission trips to Central America and working with homeless organizations in Ft. Worth. He resides in Texas with his wife, he has three daughters and five grandchildren.
President
USMC Pilot: AV-8B
Hoolie first came across Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) a few years after retiring from the U.S. Navy. Ironically, he discovered that many of the processes and approaches to Naval Aviation operations and safety were either influenced by HOP or in some cases were contributors to the growing corpus of HOP. After 24 years flying jets off aircraft carriers in hazardous and inhospitable environments, little did he realize then that the concepts of Crew Resource Management, Navy Nuclear Propulsion Pillars, and High Reliability Organizations were tightly connected to the word of HOP. Only later, as a performance coach, did Hoolie realize that many of the ways in which he was trained and more importantly thought about operations and safety were the result of a dedicated cadre of HOP personnel looking to improve the cultures and work environments of industry.
The implications of this statement are powerful. What do you do with it? How about your organization? Adopting a HOP culture and moving from the abstract HOP Principles to applications on a day to day basis can be challenging. A leadership team that imbues trust is a necessity. At SPARTAN Training & Performance our mission is to spread the HOP movement. We believe we bring a refreshingly new perspective. For many years we were the front-line workers, most exposed to the hazards of our environment and most susceptible to the inevitable breakdown of systems and team cohesion – We were at the “Tip of the Spear”. As we advanced in seniority, we later had opportunities to shape operational processes and procedures and build a culture of success. While we may have moved into more senior leadership and management roles, we never forgot the challenges of the front-line workers, whether they were aviators, mechanics, machinists, oil rig workers, plant operators etc. Our goal is to bring “Performance in Practice…for the Tip of the Spear.”
Hoolie holds an MA in Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. He and his wife live in Colorado. They have two children in college and two more at home. They enjoy hiking, skiing, travelling and time with family and friends.
C.O.O.
USN Pilot: EA-6B, F/A-18
Tung’s specialty is helping organizations to implement Human and Organizational Performance (HOP), principles, tools, and leadership in the workplace to improve culture and performance. Why? Because people deserve to work where they feel energized, valued, appreciated, and able to make a difference.His biggest take away from over 20 years in US Naval Aviation and a decade of global high reliability performance consulting is the power of effective leadership and optimized teams to affect culture and performance. As individualistic as we want to be, modern challenges and complexity require group success.
What if we had a means to achieve not only safety, but elevated morale, innovation, and consistent mission success through exciting and meaningful engagement of our workforce?
Whether operating as a forward air controller tasked with direct support of ground units in contact with enemy forces, acting as a multi-national overseas naval base executive, or developing future military leaders of character in the classroom, Tung has felt the effect of leaders and teams, both good and bad. He has a unique ability to translate abstract concepts and principles into tangible tools and techniques to positively affect culture, behaviors, and performance in the real world. In the new view embraced by HOP, leaders exist to serve their teams, not the other way around – they understand human fallibility and exhibit humility. Teams honor and embrace diverse perspectives through trust and strong relationships – they compensate for each other’s weaknesses, back each other up, and constantly seek to learn from both failure and success.
By uniting executives, planners, and workers in thinking about how we can improve the workplace, organizations can create adaptability and resilience to achieve success in even the most challenging and dynamic business environments.
Tung is a Navy Fighter Weapons School (i.e. TOPGUN) graduate and former Strike Fighter Weapon and Tactics School Instructor who holds an MA in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School and a BS from the US Naval Academy. He is an avid outdoorsman and determined advocate for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He resides in Montana with his family.
C.I.O.
USN NFO: F-14. F/A-18
About SPARTAN
With HOP originating in the U.S. Navy, we believe we are uniquely prepared to teach and implement this incredible philosophy for your organization as we have done for others. We don’t just know HOP, we have lived it though our service and we want to show you the incredible difference HOP can make!
As a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), we strive to provide a vehicle for veterans to continue service by applying their vast operational experience to drive Human & Organizational Performance journeys and contribute to the community of practice.
Our Services
SPARTAN coaches bring decades of high-consequence leadership experience and a HOP-based operational focus to your consulting needs.
Accredited curriculum & instructors assist attendees to develop fundamental HOP knowledge and build confidence in implementing tools and leadership techniques.
Onsite coaching and mentoring assists organizations to move from academic to action by applying HOP Principles, Tools, & Leadership Techniques in the office and the workplace.
Highly credible keynote speakers discuss HOP through storytelling, relatable case study exploration, and energetic audience engagement.
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