Rockefeller’s Moore: Diverse Teams, The Common Thread in Military and CRE
There haven’t been many whose career trajectories have taken them from team leadership in the military, to leading a large commercial real estate organization. Daniel Moore, who joined Rockefeller Group in 2016 and is now its president and CEO, is one of the few. Here, he tells Connect Media how his CRE career evolved out of his years in the U.S. Air Force.
Q: Tell us a little about your experience in the Air Force, where you achieved the rank of captain.
A: I had an ROTC scholarship in college, and joined the Air Force as a Second Lieutenant after graduating with a degree in structural engineering. I served on active duty for four years as a Civil Engineering officer, and was stationed in Washington State as well as Washington, D.C. I was also fortunate to have two short foreign-duty assignments, one in Saudi Arabia and one in Egypt.
The Civil Engineers take care of the Air Force’s “real estate”—its airfields, hangars and buildings—but they also have responsibility for the Fire Department and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams (i.e. the bomb squad). Like many young military officers, I had opportunities for leadership of teams and management of projects that were pretty unique at such a young age.
Q: How has your time in the Air Force carried over into your practices in commercial real estate?
A: The leadership skills I gained during my time in the Air Force have proven valuable over the course of my career, particularly so in my current role. The ability to work with diverse teams to achieve challenging goals is applicable across both the military and civilian sectors.
Q: What are some of the similarities between military and commercial real estate organizational culture? How do they differ?
A: I don’t know that there is a generic “real estate culture.” Our industry is so diverse, you find a variety of firms with cultures across the spectrum. One thing that is similar between real estate and the military is the idea that speed of execution is a key determinant of success. General Patton’s comment that “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week,” holds true both on the battlefield and when you’re chasing a deal.
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