The Non-Linear Path
A Leadership Journey Worth Taking
"The career you envision today is probably not the one you'll have tomorrow.
And that's not just okay—it's your greatest opportunity."
And that's not just okay—it's your greatest opportunity."
Invited Speaker · MNGT 5560/6560, taught by Joseph Fetsch
Harbert College of Business, Auburn University · April 20, 2026
Harbert College of Business, Auburn University · April 20, 2026
🎬 The Opening
An AI-generated intro — cloned voice (ElevenLabs) + cloned avatar (HeyGen). The presentation introducing itself.
From the lecture — Harbert College of Business, Auburn University · April 20, 2026
🎯 Before We Begin...
What have you learned from the other speakers in this course?
You've heard from incredible leaders, including your instructor, who retired as a Colonel in the Air Force—an organization that is the best in the world at building leaders.
Common themes you've probably heard: Vision • Integrity • Team-building • Communication • Discipline • Service
I'm going to take a different slant today.
My focus: How to become someone people actually want to follow when everything doesn't go according to plan.
Because here's the reality: Your plan will change. Multiple times.
The question is: Will you be ready?
Because here's the reality: Your plan will change. Multiple times.
The question is: Will you be ready?
🗺️ The Unexpected Journey
💍
The Personal Foundation: December 1, 1989
By far, the most impactful and meaningful experience to-date: I married Shelley. We were high school sweethearts—she asked me to her 9th grade band banquet in Spring 1984. We married when she was 20 and I was 21. Way too young, but as with everything in my life, I would not change it.
I really meant it when I said you have to have a supportive spouse to leave a career and get a PhD. Let me be clear: You have to have a supportive spouse to live the non-linear path.
Everything that follows happened because of this foundation. 36+ years and counting.
I really meant it when I said you have to have a supportive spouse to leave a career and get a PhD. Let me be clear: You have to have a supportive spouse to live the non-linear path.
Everything that follows happened because of this foundation. 36+ years and counting.
⚖️
The Professional Foundation: Know Your Red Line
"There is a near 100 percent probability that YOU will be faced with an ethical dilemma."
Two non-negotiable truths I told my students:
1. Know your red line. What are you not willing to do from an ethical perspective? Define it NOW, not in the heat of the moment. "The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour." (Japanese proverb)
2. You WILL be asked to cross it. And here's what happens if you do: They have you. They know you went beyond your red line, and they will ask you to go further. And further. And further.
Or, you can say NO. Be willing to suffer the consequences. Get fired if necessary.
"It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong." — Abraham Lincoln
Here's why you CAN say no: You can always get another job, especially if you keep working to be invaluable and better skilled than your peers. This is why "Never be outworked" matters. Your skill set is your freedom to maintain your ethics.
You cannot waver on your red line. Everything else is negotiable. Your ethics are not.
Two non-negotiable truths I told my students:
1. Know your red line. What are you not willing to do from an ethical perspective? Define it NOW, not in the heat of the moment. "The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour." (Japanese proverb)
2. You WILL be asked to cross it. And here's what happens if you do: They have you. They know you went beyond your red line, and they will ask you to go further. And further. And further.
Or, you can say NO. Be willing to suffer the consequences. Get fired if necessary.
"It often requires more courage to dare to do right than to fear to do wrong." — Abraham Lincoln
Here's why you CAN say no: You can always get another job, especially if you keep working to be invaluable and better skilled than your peers. This is why "Never be outworked" matters. Your skill set is your freedom to maintain your ethics.
You cannot waver on your red line. Everything else is negotiable. Your ethics are not.
1990-1991
🎓 B.S. in Accounting at UAB
My father was a CPA and seemed to like it—it provided well for our family. Worked for a local CPA firm while at UAB and after. Passed the CPA exam. Asked the firm partner what incentives I got for passing. His answer? "You get to keep your job."
Lesson #1: Never be outworked.
THEME 1: Build Skills People Are Scared to Develop
"If you want options, if you want freedom, if you want to say no to unethical requests—you better be invaluable. Other people's fear creates your opportunity."
"If you want options, if you want freedom, if you want to say no to unethical requests—you better be invaluable. Other people's fear creates your opportunity."
Meanwhile, in parallel (1988-1994): I joined the Alabama Air National Guard as a Photo-Sensor Specialist. Why? I always wanted to be a fighter jet pilot—that kid's dream. It pivoted for various reasons, but I still wanted to be part of the Air Force. So I joined the Air Guard. Still checked a box I always wanted to check, even if the exact box wasn't what I envisioned. I wouldn't change it for a second. It taught discipline and systems thinking while I was building the accounting foundation.
1993-1995
💼 CFO, Five Points Temporaries
Left the firm to become CFO of a small company. Wait—if you ARE the entire accounting/finance department, does the title even matter? I didn't have a controller reporting to me. Didn't even have an assistant. Funny how perspectives change between being 20-something and 50-something.
Real lesson learned: Public transportation defines the boundaries of where many hard-working individuals can work. Urban areas need to improve the "work opportunity boundaries" for those dependent on its transportation services.
1995-1998
🏭 Controller, Homeland Vinyl Products (Manufacturing)
First time I could wear jeans to work! No tie or jacket required. But here's what I learned: people treat you differently in jeans vs. a suit. I hope I don't. Also—I was controller, not CFO, but at a larger company. Lower-level title but felt like a promotion.
Lesson #2: Size matters.
1996
📚 Master of Accounting (MAcc), UAB
I didn't actually NEED this degree—I already had my CPA license (pre-150 hour rule). But I knew future CPAs would have graduate degrees. I didn't want to be the one without it.
THEME 1 + THEME 5: Build Skills + Be Purposeful
"This is what I mean by being purposeful. I was filling in dots. I didn't know if they would connect. But I knew I wanted more education than anybody else I was competing with."
"This is what I mean by being purposeful. I was filling in dots. I didn't know if they would connect. But I knew I wanted more education than anybody else I was competing with."
Never be outworked. (Told you this one matters.)
1998
🎯 PLOT TWIST: Back to School (PhD)
The big risk: Left the controller role to get a PhD. One of my professors at UAB, Ollie Powers, got me thinking about leaving the "real world" for academics. The desire was there, I just needed an off-ramp. Off-ramp presented itself. Shelley fully supported the move. Money went to near zero, but it became the best four years of our lives.
THEME 4: Trust Your Gut = Purposeful Reflection
"When I say 'trust your gut' about this decision—I spent time processing it. Discussed it with Shelley. Thought through different paths. After that reflection, the decision became obvious. Not easy. But obvious."
"When I say 'trust your gut' about this decision—I spent time processing it. Discussed it with Shelley. Thought through different paths. After that reflection, the decision became obvious. Not easy. But obvious."
THEME 2: Find Opportunities to Lead—Even When You Might Fail
"PhD programs have high dropout rates. I could have failed spectacularly. But if you want to be a leader, you have to find opportunities to be out in front. To accept responsibility for the outcome. Suck it up. Move on. Learn. Get better."
"PhD programs have high dropout rates. I could have failed spectacularly. But if you want to be a leader, you have to find opportunities to be out in front. To accept responsibility for the outcome. Suck it up. Move on. Learn. Get better."
This is what I meant about the foundation. Married at 20 and 21—way too young by conventional wisdom. But that decision nine years earlier? It's what made THIS decision possible. Without Shelley's support, the PhD doesn't happen. The academic career doesn't happen. The COO role doesn't happen. Lesson confirmed (still true after 36+ years together): You have to have a supportive spouse to live the non-linear path. Mine is a rock star.
2002
🎓 PhD (Accounting + Logistics), University of Tennessee
Double-major PhD. People thought this was weird. Turns out it was perfect training for running operations at an equipment company. Who knew?
2002-2005
👨🏫 Assistant Professor, University of Miami
PhD in hand, headed to "The U." Daughters were born. Learned that diversity expands your horizon. Also learned: afternoon naps are required for South Beach.
2005-2015
🦅 Professor → Director, Auburn University School of Accountancy
Left Miami for "God's country"—Auburn. Published 20+ papers. Became Director. This was "the" career. Except...
During this time, collected four professional certifications (CPA, CMA, CIA, CFE). Taught, published, served on committees. Outworked everyone. Built the skill set.
2016
🚀 PLOT TWIST #2: Left Academia
The unthinkable: After 13+ years as a professor, I left the greatest job on earth to go back to the "real world." Not logical. What? Here's one full-circle fact: I left to take my father's position at the same company I worked at earlier in my career.
THEME 4: Trust Your Gut = Purposeful Reflection
"I didn't just wake up one day and decide. I thought through it. Discussed it with Shelley. Processed the different paths. PhD. Leaving academia. These were major decisions that weren't easy, but they were obvious after reflection."
"I didn't just wake up one day and decide. I thought through it. Discussed it with Shelley. Processed the different paths. PhD. Leaving academia. These were major decisions that weren't easy, but they were obvious after reflection."
CIO/VP Sales Admin at Cowin Equipment. People definitely thought this was crazy. Trust your gut moment #2.
2022-Present
⚡ COO/VP, Cowin Equipment
Running operations for an equipment company. Using everything: accounting, logistics, analytics, leadership, fraud detection, cost management, Lean principles. The "random" skill set became invaluable. The double-major PhD? Perfect. The certifications? Critical. The academic rigor? Essential.
Here's the truth: Every "crazy" move built skills that compounded.
THEME 5: Be Purposeful - Fill in Dots
"I was being purposeful. Filling in dots since age 20. Years later, I've been able to connect them."
"I was being purposeful. Filling in dots since age 20. Years later, I've been able to connect them."
💡 The Pattern: From the beginning, multiple threads at once. Air Guard (discipline, checking boxes even when they shift) + accounting rigor → manufacturing reality → PhD depth → academic excellence → business operations. Each step seemed random. Together? Unstoppable. And that fighter pilot dream that became Air Guard service? Still valuable. Still checked the box. The exact box doesn't matter—the pursuit matters.
📊 The Numbers Tell a Story
2
Foundations (Personal + Professional)
36+
Years Married (The Foundation)
100%
Probability You'll Face Ethical Dilemma
6
Major Career Chapters
+1
Parallel Pursuit (Air Guard)
4
Professional Certifications
20+
Published Research Papers
1
Kid's Dream Adapted
∞
Skills That Transferred
💭 Wisdom from the Journey
Real lessons learned over decades of zigzagging
🎯 Quantify First, Then Qualify
"Let the data do the talking, first. Then let's discuss how current factors provide grounds to alter the path forward as told by the data." Start somewhere—even Excel can be your friend. There's real money to be saved (and made) through data analysis.
🐢 Slow Down to Speed Up
"I can evaluate situations and make quick decisions. But I've discovered there's an important part missing: slowing my brain." Take time to "Puddy out" (yes, Seinfeld reference). By thinking about nothing for a few minutes, you gain clarity and process situations more effectively.
📈 Positive Nudges Over Time
"Most of us won't point to the 'one big thing' that changed our organization forever. That's ok." Make small incremental changes that compound. Look for efficiency gains in your daily tasks. This creates a compounding effect that organizations want to keep and promote.
🎉 Celebrate the Inputs, Not Just Outputs
"Can you sleep tonight knowing you maximized the inputs you can control?" Whether passing the CPA exam or achieving tenure—control what you can control. Celebrate that you left it all on the field. When results meet/exceed expectations, it's sweeter. When they don't, you did what you could.
🔁 Yesterday's Win ≠ Today's Victory
"Congrats on the win, time to stop patting self on back and get to figuring out how to achieve today's victory." If you're doing the same job the same way today as five years ago, you've fallen behind.
🔨 Consistently Do the Small Things
"90% of issues can be avoided by just doing the small things all the time." Want happy customers, processes, and results? Do the small stuff...always. Don't stop. Be purposeful with your effort.
💰 How It Affects the Back-Pocket
"People will find the path of least resistance to increase their back-pocket." Understand this when creating incentives. Know ALL the paths that lead to increased back-pockets—and use controls to block the paths you don't want traveled.
⚖️ Know Your Red Line
"There is a near 100 percent probability that YOU will be faced with an ethical dilemma." Define your red line NOW—what you're not willing to do ethically. Because you WILL be asked to cross it. If you do, they have you. They know you'll go further. Say no. Get fired if necessary. "The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour." You can always get another job if you're invaluable. You cannot get another reputation.
😊 Be Happy, Be Nice
From "A Gentleman in Moscow": "Unlike adults, children WANT to be happy." If we can't be nice, we're probably far from being happy. Or perhaps if we want happiness, we will be nice. Either way: (1) Be happy, (2) Be nice, (3) Take pleasure in the simplest things.
🌎 Life is About Experiences
"I tell my daughters all the time: life is about experiences." Disney when they were little. International travel when they were older. Madrid—where we went to a bullfight even though they were adamantly opposed to the bull dying. I told them: bullfighting is part of their culture. You need to experience their culture. The non-linear career path? That's the same principle. Each pivot was an uncomfortable experience that paid dividends. Growth lives outside comfort zones.
⏰ The Yesterdays Made Today
Try not to look back questioning yourself. "I wish I would have done that or not done that." Yes, we all make seemingly unwise decisions at times. However, those decisions lead you somewhere. Each destination point alters the journey. People say it's about the journey, not the destination. That's true, but your life is about BOTH—the journey AND the destination points. If you keep striving for better and moving forward, you'll find even those questionable destination points were beneficial. I don't like saying "have no regrets." I prefer: "The yesterdays made today, and I am looking forward to the tomorrows."
🤖 Learning What Others Are Scared to Touch
THEME 1 in Action: Build Skills People Are Scared to Develop
I'm 56 years old. PhD in Accounting and Logistics, not Computer Science.
When everyone my age says "I don't understand AI" or "that's for young people," I'm learning it.
Grok: Family Art
Family tailgate photo turned into cartoon art using Grok. First AI experiment. Now it's my iPhone background. Started with curiosity, became capability.
Daily News for My Daughters
Twin daughters (Auburn Harbert grads, EY interns, returning for MAcc). Professor John Rhoads at UAB (1988): "Always know what's happening in the world and your field—read newspapers 2 hours daily." I offered email summaries. They looked... thrilled. Built automated AI briefing system (Claude + GitHub + ElevenLabs). Two versions: general news + young accounting professionals. They didn't want Dad's emails. They'll get Dad's AI clone instead.
golfBOUND & AI Golf Coach
Complete brand identity: logos, colors, voice, positioning. Plus AI coach analyzing swing videos. Zero design agencies. Just me and Claude. Built a brand from scratch at 56.
This Presentation
Every slide. Story structure. Discussion questions. Built with Claude. Intro video = cloned voice (ElevenLabs) + cloned avatar (HeyGen). 100% AI-powered. The presentation presenting itself was built by AI.
The Point: Never Be Outworked Applies to Learning Too
I'm 56. This isn't my native skill. But it's a skill in demand that others are scared to develop.
That's the opportunity.
When you're purposeful about building skills—even uncomfortable ones—you're filling in dots that will connect later.
That's the opportunity.
When you're purposeful about building skills—even uncomfortable ones—you're filling in dots that will connect later.
So What Does This Have To Do With Leadership?
You Cannot Lead If You're Not Out in Front and Noticed
You don't get noticed by following the predictable path everyone else is on.
You get noticed by being PURPOSEFUL in your career.
Being purposeful IS living the non-linear life.
What Does Being Purposeful Mean?
- Recognizing off-ramps and taking them
- Building skills no one asked you to build
- Saying no when ethics demand it
- Celebrating inputs you control
- Experiencing discomfort for growth
That purposeful approach creates leaders people want to follow.
THEME 5: Filling In Dots to Connect Later
I've been purposeful since I was 20.
Every certification. Every degree. Every 'extra' thing. I was even purposeful in the little stuff—I wanted to out-dress my peers.
Everything matters if you want to be a leader. Which means you have to be purposeful right now.
Being purposeful means you're filling in a lot of dots. It may be years later before you can connect the dots.
But here's the thing about being purposeful: You have dots to connect. They will connect.
I'm later in my career now. I've been able to connect the dots. I was unsure if they would connect when I was your age. But they have.
On Success:
I look back on my career now with appreciation, gratitude, and accomplishment.
I don't know how to define success. I may not be successful in other people's eyes. Don't care.
I reflect on a great life, a great career, and I'm happy. Thus, I am successful.
The Leadership Thesis
Leadership isn't being out in front because you have a title.
Leadership is being so valuable, so skilled, so principled that when opportunity knocks or crisis hits—people look to YOU.
Think about leaders you respect. Not the ones with the fanciest titles. The ones you'd actually follow into uncertainty.
What do they have? Deep skills. Principles they won't compromise. They've taken risks. They've built capabilities no one told them to. They've been purposeful.
The non-linear path doesn't just build careers. It builds leaders worth following.
💪 The Leadership Principles That Matter
Build Skills, Not Resumes Theme 1
That double-major PhD in Accounting + Logistics? That fraud certification? Teaching Industrial Engineering while doing accounting? They looked odd. But running a COO role? Suddenly perfect. Build a skill set that is in high demand AND that other people are scared to develop. Collect capabilities that make you indispensable, not just employable. "I am a nerd. Yes, those were the last words I texted my family after moving to the analysis stage. I love this stuff. It's fun, right?"
Take the Crazy Risks Theme 2
Leaving a controller role for grad school when money goes to near zero? Risky. Leaving tenure-track academia after becoming Director? Riskier. If you want to be a leader, you have to find opportunities to lead. To be out in front. To be in charge. To accept responsibility. Many people will not do this. You have to find those opportunities to be noticed. And here's the hard truth: You have to find opportunities to FAIL. Which means you absolutely cannot be fearful of failing. Suck it up. Move on. Learn from it. Get better. But safe paths are often slow paths. The off-ramp appeared, Shelley supported it, I took it. Trust your gut when opportunity knocks.
Outwork Everyone
Four certifications. 20+ publications. Getting a MAcc when you already have your CPA just so you're not the one without a graduate degree. Teaching while doing. Serving on committees. There's no shortcut here—you build reputation and capability through relentless output. This is THE lesson: Never be outworked.
But here's why it matters beyond achievement: Being invaluable gives you the freedom to maintain your ethics. When you're asked to cross your red line—and you will be—you can say no because you can always get another job. Your skill set is your freedom.
But here's why it matters beyond achievement: Being invaluable gives you the freedom to maintain your ethics. When you're asked to cross your red line—and you will be—you can say no because you can always get another job. Your skill set is your freedom.
Leadership Isn't Friendship Theme 3 • NEW
Here's something nobody tells you in leadership classes: Being a leader does not necessarily mean you will be friends with those you lead. I've led friends before. It can get dicey when bad news has to be delivered. Do not let emotions drive your reaction when delivering not-so-great news. Do not play favorites with people you like. This may sound harsh, but in my opinion: Emotions have no business in business. Make business decisions void of your emotions and the emotions of others. You want to be someone people respect and follow. Not necessarily someone they hang out with on weekends.
Say Yes to Opportunities
Adjunct teaching in Industrial Engineering while doing accounting? Guest lecturing on Lean? Every "extra" thing compounds. What seems random today becomes your edge tomorrow. "There are no traffic jams along the extra mile." — Roger Staubach
Take Charge When It Matters
Became Director. Chaired committees. Led initiatives. When the moment allows, step up. Leadership isn't about titles—it's about willingness to own outcomes. "I would rather you make a wrong decision than not make a decision at all." But remember: don't sacrifice being purposeful in action with being fast in execution.
Your Gut Knows Theme 4
That voice telling you to leave stability for growth? Listen to it. But here's what "trust your gut" really means: You need to think through major decisions. Discuss them with your significant other. Process the different paths. If you've spent time processing, the decision becomes obvious. PhD. Leaving academia. Everything. These were major decisions that weren't easy to make. But they were obvious after moments of reflection. The career that makes sense on paper often makes the least sense for your potential. I've never made a decision I wasn't comfortable with. I knew it was the right decision because I put in the work to know. Trust yourself more than the plan. Both PhD and leaving academia looked illogical. Both were exactly right.
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Living the Auburn Creed
How one non-linear journey embodies George Petrie's 1943 vision
🎓 The Real Lesson
Right now, you're in a leadership class at Auburn University imagining your path. Maybe it's consulting, corporate, entrepreneurship. Here's the truth: it probably won't be any of those.
And that's spectacular.
Because the best careers aren't linear. They're responsive. They pivot. They compound skills in ways you can't predict. A photo sensor specialist becomes a COO. An accounting professor becomes a business operator. The controller who wore jeans becomes the Director in a suit becomes the COO analyzing rental fleet data.
George Petrie wrote the Auburn Creed in 1943. He believed in hard work, education, honesty, courage, and the human touch. Those principles don't tell you WHAT to do—they tell you HOW to be.
So stop trying to predict your 10-year plan. Instead, build a skill set so valuable that when the unexpected opportunity arrives—and it will—you're ready to say yes.
And that's spectacular.
Because the best careers aren't linear. They're responsive. They pivot. They compound skills in ways you can't predict. A photo sensor specialist becomes a COO. An accounting professor becomes a business operator. The controller who wore jeans becomes the Director in a suit becomes the COO analyzing rental fleet data.
George Petrie wrote the Auburn Creed in 1943. He believed in hard work, education, honesty, courage, and the human touch. Those principles don't tell you WHAT to do—they tell you HOW to be.
So stop trying to predict your 10-year plan. Instead, build a skill set so valuable that when the unexpected opportunity arrives—and it will—you're ready to say yes.
Two Foundations Are Required:
1. You cannot live the non-linear path alone. Find your Shelley. Find someone who believes in you when you're leaving a CFO role for grad school with near-zero income. Find someone who supports the crazy pivots. The non-linear path requires partnership—not just professional networks, but someone who's in it with you for the long haul.
2. You cannot live the non-linear path without ethics. Know your red line. You will be asked to cross it. Say no. Get fired if necessary. "Never be outworked" isn't just about effort—it's about building a skill set so valuable that you have the freedom to maintain your ethics. You can always get another job. You cannot get another reputation.
Five Leadership Truths:
1. Build a skill set that is in demand AND that others are scared to develop.
Other people's fear creates your opportunity to become invaluable.
Other people's fear creates your opportunity to become invaluable.
2. Find opportunities to lead—even when you might fail. Especially when you might fail.
Many people won't do this. You have to. Suck it up. Move on. Learn. Get better.
Many people won't do this. You have to. Suck it up. Move on. Learn. Get better.
3. Leadership isn't friendship. Emotions have no business in business.
Make decisions void of your emotions and the emotions of others.
Make decisions void of your emotions and the emotions of others.
4. Trust your gut means do the reflection work first.
Discuss with your partner. Process the paths. The decision becomes obvious.
Discuss with your partner. Process the paths. The decision becomes obvious.
5. Be purposeful. Fill in dots.
Every certification. Every conversation. Every decision. Even wanting to out-dress your peers. Everything matters. You may not know if they'll connect. But if you're purposeful, you'll have dots TO connect. They will connect.
Every certification. Every conversation. Every decision. Even wanting to out-dress your peers. Everything matters. You may not know if they'll connect. But if you're purposeful, you'll have dots TO connect. They will connect.
On Success:
I don't know how to define success. I may not be successful in other people's eyes.
Don't care.
I reflect on a great life, a great career, and I'm happy.
Thus, I am successful.
The path won't look like you think. My father was a CPA. I became one too. Then I became a professor. Then I took his position at the company he worked at. Full circle? Maybe. Predictable? Not a chance.
And that's exactly why it's been extraordinary.
War Eagle.
And that's exactly why it's been extraordinary.
War Eagle.
🎬 The Closing
The AI-generated send-off — same cloned voice and avatar, start to finish.