What the Army Taught Lance Collins About Leading People

How military discipline, decisive action, and a relationship-first mindset shaped Lance Collins’s career in banking.

In this episode of The Long Game, Mitch Long talks with Army veteran and Pinnacle Financial Partners banker Lance Collins about making decisions under pressure, coaching people, and earning clients’ trust. Lance shares how he enlisted in the Army at 17, joined the 82nd Airborne Division, served in Kosovo and Iraq, and eventually transitioned into financial services.

They also get into decision-making under pressure, adapting when circumstances change, empowering people instead of micromanaging them, and why relationships still matter in an increasingly automated business world. Lance explains how lessons from the military continue to influence the way he leads teams and serves clients at Pinnacle Financial Partners.

WHAT WE TALK ABOUT

Joining the Army at 17 and becoming part of the 82nd Airborne Serving in Kosovo and Iraq before transitioning to civilian life Making decisions when the information is incomplete Earning his Series 7 as the 2008 financial crisis hit Why leadership is different from management Coaching people based on how they learn and what motivates them Pinnacle’s emphasis on local decisions, culture, and empowerment Why relationships and personal service still matter in financial services

CHAPTERS

00:20 – Mitch introduces Lance and their connection through Pinnacle 01:35 – Why Lance wanted to join the Army 02:15 – Enlisting at 17 and joining the 82nd Airborne Division 03:00 – Kosovo, Iraq, and transitioning out of active duty 03:38 – Discovering a talent for numbers and financial services 04:04 – Making decisions under pressure and staying flexible 04:45 – Getting his Series 7 as the 2008 financial crisis hit 07:07 – Discipline, preparation, and being early 07:46 – Adapting to change in business and banking 09:44 – The challenge of moving from military life to corporate America 10:31 – Coaching different people in different ways 11:40 – Why the military mindset never completely goes away 13:00 – Pinnacle, growth, and navigating a merger 14:37 – Why local decision-making matters 15:00 – Culture, experienced people, and avoiding micromanagement 16:36 – Delegation, trust, and getting out of the way 17:01 – The difference between managing and leading 19:16 – Building relationships instead of transactions 20:45 – Why human connection still matters in a technology-driven world 22:10 – Personal service when clients need it most 24:24 – How a Vietnam veteran helped Lance enter financial services 26:02 – Lance’s advice: Don’t let anybody outwork you