A Korean Born US Military Veteran to Author of Leadernomics: Meet Seung Paik
GlobalMindED is honored to feature Seung Paik, a U.S. Air Force veteran whose 25 years of military service laid the foundation for a life dedicated to leadership, justice, and service to others. Born in Korea and raised in the United States by immigrant parents who instilled in him values of integrity, sacrifice, and hard work, he went on to graduate from the United States Air Force Academy and serve in assignments across Korea, Japan, Germany, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Today, as an author, speaker, and humanitarian, he continues his mission to defend the vulnerable and elevate humanity through his groundbreaking work on Leadernomics.
Tell us about your personal journey.
Born in Korea, my parents immigrated to the United States when I was one. My father, having experienced kindness and generosity from American soldiers as a refugee during the Korean War, always shared his fondness for the U.S. military and his own desire to serve our nation. My parents instilled in us values of hard work, integrity, education, gratitude, and most of all, sacrificial service. So when it came time for college, I chose to attend the United States Air Force Academy. Thus began a career of leadership in the military. After 25 years of active duty service, including overseas assignments in Korea, Japan, and Germany, and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, I retired in 2017. Since then, I’ve led humanitarian missions to Ukraine and Spain, and have completed my first book entitled, Leadernomics: Life & Leadership Lessons from My Mentor, Economics.
What pivotal experiences shaped your current path?
I’ve been passionate about social justice and leadership since my youth. I witnessed first-hand countless occasions where my parents, as small business owners, endured racism, disrespect, direct threats, and disparaging remarks, without the ability to defend themselves. This formed a lifelong non-negotiable: To defend the helpless, to encourage the hopeless, and to strengthen the weak and weary. Whether in the military or civilian world, leadership represented far more than mission accomplishment. It’s always been a platform to elevate humanity … to address injustice, uphold inherent worth, and maximize every person’s priceless potential.
What are the most valuable lessons you've learned through your work?
In a global economy, no one is immune from market commodification. This is the ever-present temptation when fixated on metrics and delivering bottom-line results. It takes priceless leadership to see and value the priceless nature of people. And when leaders do, watch out! The bottom-line no longer remains the focus, but blowing away the top-line becomes possible. This is the journey of Leadernomics … to move leaders (via core economic principles) from a world of market value to believing and investing in the unimaginable.
What drives your desire to contribute and make a difference?
The vast majority of people, organizations, and communities remain untapped in their max potential. Not for lack of effort, but for lack of understanding and application. Leadernomics isn’t based on subjective opinions. Rather it’s an objective look at leadership through core economic principles, as a human endeavor. Leaders can inspire and change the world one decision at a time, but it takes vision and courage. Leadernomics was created for this very purpose … to equip every leader with the objective insight necessary.
What are your highest hopes for democracy to unite, uplift, and inspire?
My highest hope for leaders around the world is to continually bridge the gap from “what is” to “what should be” in market outcomes. What we see is never the end of the story. Rather, they’re mere indicators of where we are versus where we want to go. Both economics and leadership are human endeavors, and they exist to influence the market narrative from “priced” to priceless value.
How can GlobalMindED support leaders like yourself in achieving your goals and advancing your aspirations?
Leadernomics was born out of crisis in the classroom. Post 9/11, my college students yearned for more than just the textbook. They needed to know if economics had a conscience, a soul. Can it dive into the depths of human ideals, then shift markets in that direction. It can, but not without leaders who are properly equipped. GlobalMindEd can support by helping to advance Leadernomics into the classroom (high schools and above), into Executive & MBA programs, and into corporate internships & mentoring systems. I’ve been speaking for over 20 years to military and government audiences, but it’s time to take it to the world. Together, we can mobilize the message into every academic and leadership institution.
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