The a16z Show · Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Adam Neumann discussed how his mandatory service in the Israeli army, specifically as a navy officer, instilled discipline and leadership qualities. He admitted to initially struggling with the army's structure, receiving punishment for nine months, but eventually learned the importance of being a soldier before becoming a leader.
“And I think something nice about going to the army, it forces discipline. Because either you're going to be disciplined or you're going to be in trouble.”
“And for the first nine months, every week I would get punished. I couldn't make it.”
“He said, look, Adam, I think you're going to do great things when you grow up. But you can't be a great leader if you don't know how to be a soldier.”