5. Erik Antons on the Gifts and Traps of Instinct and Intuition

Learning the Hard Way the Easy Way

Erik Antons is Chief Security Officer of Whirlpool Corporation, where he leads the physical security risk and crisis management programs for the $22.3 billion dollar enterprise of nearly 70,000 employees across more than 170 countries. Previously, he was the Vice President and Chief Security Officer of Hyatt Hotels, Manager of International Security and Executive Services for Sempra, and served his country as a Special Agent with the Diplomatic Security Service in the U.S. Department of State. Erik is an adjunct faculty member at San Diego State University, where he got his Masters degree in Homeland Security. He serves on the Board of Directors of the International Security Foundation (ISF) and on the Associate Board of Directors of the Pat Tillman Foundation. In 2022, Erik was identified as one of the 12 most influential people in security by Security Magazine.

Erik joins Alex to talk about "learning the hard way" the gifts and traps of instinct and intuition. They explore the difference between experience and expertise, how to recognize when it's time to make a change, and the importance of "listening to your gut", but not at the cost of critical thinking. Erik recounts his various career and management endeavors, reflecting on how his biggest challenges often led to his greatest successes.
Erik on LinkedIn
"Thank you for laying me off: Companies come and go, but talent is forever"
The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker
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