Common Goal Leadership

A Method Forged in Experience

The Common Goal Method isn’t just a theory—it’s a system forged through real-world experience, from the battlefield to the highest levels of federal law enforcement.

Jeremy Vandekar’s journey began in 2004, serving in the elite Marine Reconnaissance special operations unit. There, he learned what it takes for a team to operate with a zero-fail mindset. He witnessed firsthand a vast spectrum of leadership styles and recognized the fundamental principles that separated effective leaders from the rest.

After two combat deployments to Iraq, Jeremy transitioned to the FBI in 2012, where he tackled high-stakes cases across New York—the bureau’s largest field office. As a Special Agent and a surveillance pilot, he led complex investigations into counterterrorism, violent crimes against children, and healthcare fraud.

His experience expanded further when he was selected as a program manager in the US Government’s only Domestic Terrorism Operations Section (DTOS). He was at the heart of the bureau’s largest coordinated investigation following January 6, 2020, eventually serving as acting Unit Chief for DTOS-West.

Later, leading the FBI’s aviation operations across a massive region spanning from Philadelphia to Maine, Jeremy contributed to some of the nation’s most critical cases and high-stakes operations. It was here, drawing on lessons from firefights to high-level Director briefings, that he distilled his vast experience into one clear and powerful framework: the Common Goal Method.