At the Coalface
At the Coalface is a series of conversations hosted by Phil Rose.
Phil’s guests share stories about their life beyond the headlines of international affairs. They look for lessons learned about making an impact in the world as practitioners in diplomacy, international organisations, NGOs, journalism and the private sector.
Many of Phil’s guests are connected by their common experience of taking time away from work to attend Fletcher School's Global Master of Arts Programme.
At the Coalface
Robert Palm: Leadership at Altitude: on Service, Fairness, and Space
In this episode, I sit down with Rob Palm, former U.S. Navy aviator, military diplomat, and now space tech executive, for a wide-ranging conversation on military diplomacy, reinventions and leadership.
Over a 29-year Navy career, Rob flew F-14s and later served as a Foreign Area Officer, advancing U.S. defence collaboration across Europe and the Middle East. Today, he’s helping to shape the future of space-based intelligence, leveraging radio frequency data at the cutting edge of the commercial space sector.
We explore how early life shapes worldview, what it takes to build military partnerships across cultures, and how to balance diplomacy, defense, and business. We also talk about what it means to lead with emotional intelligence in high-stakes environments and what legacy looks like after decades of global service.
Connect with Rob on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/robertpalmjr.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
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