John O’Leary welcomes retired Lieutenant Colonel Jason O. Harris to the Live Inspired Podcast to share how trust, preparation, and intentional leadership help you live a life that matters.
Jason O. Harris is a retired Lieutenant Colonel, fourth-generation service member, professional pilot, best-selling author, and nationally sought-after keynote speaker on trust and leadership. Jason spent nearly three decades serving our country in the U.S. Air Force, flying 11 combat deployments and more than 470 combat sorties, ultimately commanding a Boeing KC-46 Tanker Aircraft Squadron. He carries those hard-earned lessons beyond the cockpit and into boardrooms, equipping leaders and teams to build trust, accountability, and peak performance when it matters most.
Today, Jason shares how trust is built under pressure, why leadership is revealed in moments of uncertainty, and what it truly means to “make the dash count.” He opens up about growing up in chaos, learning the power of environment and influence early in life, and how high-risk combat missions shaped his belief that you don’t rise to the occasion… you fall to the level of your training.
My friends, if you’re craving clarity in your leadership, confidence in your decisions, or stronger relationships at work and at home, this conversation is for you. You’ll leave with a renewed understanding of how trust is earned, practical ways to show up with intention, and a powerful reminder that your presence matters more than you think.
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SHOW NOTES:
- From a chaotic childhood in Oakland, Jason dedicated nearly three decades of service in the U.S. Air Force, including 11 combat deployments and leadership at the highest levels.
- He explains why trust isn’t built when everything is easy, but in moments of pressure, uncertainty, and when the stakes are high.
- “You don’t rise to the occasion; you fall to the level of your training.”
- “ Leaders who don’t trust their people will eventually lead people who don’t trust them.”
- Jason opens up about flying high-risk missions he couldn’t always talk about, and how trust between teammates literally became a matter of life and death.
- He introduces his No Fail Trust® framework and what his national research reveals about trust gaps in today’s workplace.
- Jason shares why accountability, clarity, and consistency are non-negotiables for high-performing teams.
- Taking lessons from good leaders, lessons from bad leaders, and then lessons that he and his peers that we shared with each other, Jason learned leadership.
- Leadership, he believes, isn’t about rank or title, but about being someone others can count on when it matters most.
- Jason talks about transitioning out of active duty and how purpose doesn’t end when a uniform comes off.
- His reminder for all of us: the “dash” between our birth and death matters, and every interaction is an opportunity to make it count.
Did you enjoy today’s episode?
You’ll love our Military and First Responders Playlist. It’s a powerful collection of conversations about life, love, and service with veterans and first responders. Hear how Forrest Gump continues to influence Gary Sinise, Jim Lovell’s journey to the dark side of the moon, how ex-special agent Eva Pompous lives fearlessly… and so much more. Listen to the Military and First Responders Playlist now.
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JASON O. HARRIS'S LIVE INSPIRED 7
- Q. What is the best book you’ve ever read?
A. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. - Q. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today?
A. Asking questions. - Q. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be?
A. Nothing. There's a lot of memories in here. I don't have the space to grab at all, so why am I gonna go and grab anything? I'm gonna sit out there and make certain that I comfort my wife and my daughter. - Q. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be?
A. My grandfather. - Q. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
A. Live life to the fullest. You only get it once. - Q. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
A. You are enough. You matter, and you don't need the external validation to know that you are enough. - Q. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read?
A. He made his dash count.
