Jeremy C. Park interviews Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Scott Mann, former U.S. Army Green Beret, Founder and President of Rooftop Leadership, bestselling author, and speaker, who discusses his 23-year military career and his transition into developing “rooftop leadership” concepts focused on building trust and human connections. Scott highlights his work as a writer, including his New York Times bestseller, “Nobody is Coming to Save You,” and his upcoming book “The Generosity of Scars,” which releases on May 12, 2026, and explores storytelling and vulnerability in leadership. The conversation concludes with a discussion of Scott’s one-person show “11 Days” based on his best-selling book, which tells the story of the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation and demonstrates the powerful impact of storytelling in processing shared experiences and fostering connection.
Green Beret’s Legacy and Impact – Scott Mann, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret, discusses his 23-year career in the U.S. Army, including 18 years as a Green Beret, inspired by meeting a Green Beret at age 14. He describes the Green Berets’ focus on building trust with indigenous communities and helping the underdog, resonating with his own personal experiences.
Storytelling and Leadership Transition – Scott shares his journey from military service to developing Rooftop Leadership, which involves building trust and human connections in high-trust environments. He discusses how storytelling helped him overcome personal struggles and transition into a career focused on leadership and interpersonal skills. Scott highlights his work as a writer, including a New York Times bestseller, and his expansion into playwriting, emphasizing the power of storytelling in influencing and connecting with people in today’s distracted world. He also talks about his “Take the Mic” 13-week immersive course, which is geared toward helping leaders become more effective storytellers and communicators.
Storytelling and Leadership Insights – Scott discusses his upcoming book, “The Generosity of Scars: How Your Stories of Struggle Can Change Lives―Especially Your Own,” which will be published by Center Street – Hachette Book Group on May 12, 2026. He explained that the book is the second in his leadership trilogy, focusing on storytelling and how sharing personal scars can foster human connections. Scott shares an example of how his own story of facing a pistol in a closet resonated with veterans, highlighting the universal need for storytelling and vulnerability. Jeremy agrees with Scott’s perspective, drawing parallels to songwriting and the power of vulnerability in connecting with audiences.
Storytelling in Afghanistan Evacuation – Scott shares his personal journey of adapting his best-selling book “Pineapple Express” into a one-person show titled “11 Days,” which tells the story of the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation from both military and civilian perspectives. He describes the powerful impact of the performance, including a moving reaction from a Gold Star mother in the audience, and emphasized the importance of storytelling in processing shared experiences and fostering connection. Jeremy expresses admiration for Scott’s work and highlights the significance of storytelling in leadership and transformation, concluding with plans to bring Scott to Memphis in October with the cityCURRENT signature speaker series event being hosted by Delta Dental of Tennessee.
Visit https://scottmann.com to learn more about Scott Mann, his books, plays, guest speaking, “Take the Mic” storytelling mastery course, and coaching.
