Recorded live in Boston, Bart sits down with Milt Herbert, Executive Director of the Boston Convention & Marketing Center, for a masterclass in leadership, discipline, and humanity. Milt shares his unconventional journey — from flunking out of college, to serving in combat, to becoming a professor, technologist, entrepreneur, and ultimately a long-tenured executive leader. With humility and clarity, Milt explains how military discipline reshaped his life, why treating people like people is the foundation of leadership, and how focusing on customers as humans — not transactions — creates lasting success. This conversation is packed with wisdom on work ethic, family, learning, customer experience, and what most leaders still get wrong.Major Takeaways / Learnings
Discipline can change everything. Milt credits military service with reshaping his mindset, work ethic, and focus.
Early failure doesn’t define your ceiling. Flunking out of college didn’t stop him from earning an MBA, teaching, and entering a PhD program.
Leadership is about people, not roles. Employees have full lives outside work — great leaders respect and support that reality.
Integration beats balance. Milt prioritized family, coaching his kids’ teams and staying present while building a demanding career.
Be a lifelong learner. From coding to tennis to leadership, curiosity and self‑teaching fueled every chapter of his life.
Customers are humans first. The best way to serve customers is to understand their goals, pressures, and definitions of success.
Listening is a leadership superpower. Ask questions, stay quiet, and truly hear people — that’s how trust is built.
Strong teams feel like family. When people feel cared for, respected, and seen, they stay — and they perform.
Memorable Quotes
“People don’t show up for work — work isn’t their whole life.”
“You keep your mouth shut, you listen, and you ask questions.”
“Customers have jobs to do — our job is to help them succeed.”
“It’s always about the people. It’s never just about the business.”
“I’m only one person — it’s the team that makes everything happen.”
“Family first isn’t a slogan. It’s a responsibility.”
Why It Matters / How to Use It
This episode is a blueprint for leaders who want to build trust, loyalty, and performance without sacrificing humanity. Milt Herbert’s story proves that discipline, empathy, and curiosity can coexist — and that the strongest organizations are built by leaders who listen, care, and understand people beyond their titles. Whether you lead a team, serve customers, raise a family, or are still finding your path, this conversation offers timeless lessons on how to show up, how to lead, and why people first is not optional — it’s essential.