I spend a lot of time working with clients who come from diverse professional backgrounds--military, tech, medical--and one pattern I've noticed is how former Israeli military folks approach problem-solving. They tend to skip hierarchy when things get critical and just solve the problem, then brief leadership after. It's mission-first, not rank-first. A client of mine who served in the IDF told me about a scenario during a naval training exercise where junior sailors bypassed their immediate commander to coordinate directly with the engine room when a propulsion issue came up mid-drill. They fixed it in minutes, then looped everyone in. In most militaries, that's insubordination. In theirs, it's expected initiative. What I've learned from working with high-net-worth buyers in yacht sales is that this "fix it now, explain later" mentality translates incredibly well to competitive industries. We've adopted some of that at Norton Yachts--our yard crew and technicians are empowered to make calls on the spot during haul-outs or engine repairs without waiting for three approvals. It keeps boats moving and clients happy. The key takeaway: flatten communication when stakes are high. Create a culture where the person closest to the problem has permission to act, and you'll move faster than competitors still stuck in approval chains.
One reason Israeli teamwork culture is often effective is the emphasis on direct communication and shared responsibility. Hierarchy exists, but it doesn't block input. People are expected to challenge ideas openly if it improves the outcome, regardless of rank. A clear example comes from the military model, where after-action reviews are brutally honest and focused on learning, not blame. Every level of the unit contributes to what went wrong and what must change next time. That habit carries into tech and healthcare, teams iterate quickly because feedback is immediate and candid. The impact is speed with accountability. Decisions move fast because debate happens early and openly. Once a direction is set, execution is tight because everyone feels ownership of the outcome, not just the leader.
I led Marine Corps infantry squads in high-pressure situations, and honestly the teamwork model there shares DNA with what you're describing. The key wasn't Israeli-specific though--it was **mission ownership at every level**. My fire team leaders didn't wait for permission to adjust tactics mid-operation; they made the call and told me after. Now as GM at CWF Restoration, I've built that same structure into emergency response work. When our project manager Josh took a customer's phone mid-assessment and coordinated directly with their insurance adjuster, he closed the loop in one conversation instead of three days of back-and-forth. That's not about nationality--it's about trusting your people to finish what they start without a approval chain. The military scenario that taught me this: during a live-fire exercise, my squad's machine gunner spotted a terrain advantage I'd missed from my position. He repositioned his entire team without asking because waiting 30 seconds for radio clearance would've killed the training value. We debriefed it after, but in the moment, he had more information than I did--so he owned the decision. That's what makes any team effective: **information flows to whoever needs it, and authority lives where the work happens**. Whether it's Israeli culture, Marine Corps doctrine, or restoration crews dealing with a 3-floor water leak at midnight, the pattern's identical--speed beats perfection when someone's house is flooding.
Managing Principal at 100 Mile Strategies, and Visiting Fellow, George Mason University's National Security Institute
Answered a month ago
In my experience managing and partnering with Israeli teams, I have found that individuals and contributors tend to operate with unapologetic passion for solving problems and with deliberate urgency. In cybersecurity in the dual use space, teams I have navigated with at the operational, strategic and policy levels take their work seriously while also are willing to voice their opinions with little concern for niceties. In a space where seconds matter for decisions, I appreciate that imperative for action.