Around the Table with Geo Saba

Around the Table is a three-question interview series from the Make Room email newsletter. Each edition features a conversation with a peer in the national security community to learn about their expertise and experience in the sector.

Geo Saba is a JD/MBA candidate at Stanford. He previously was Rep. Ro Khanna's chief of staff and worked on Capitol Hill for 8 years. He is a Council on Foreign Relations term member, Aspen Strategy Group rising leader, a CNAS Next Gen fellow, and Schmidt Futures ISF fellow. The views expressed are those of the author.

1. You recently decided to leave Capitol Hill to attend Stanford Law School and the Stanford Graduate School of Business. What inspired you to take that step, and how do you think it will shape your career?

I loved my eight years on Capitol Hill. I learned a ton, worked with some amazing people, and helped pass meaningful pieces of legislation into law for Rep. Khanna.

However, throughout those years, I often wished I had a deeper understanding of both law and business. For instance, when Rep. Khanna introduced the Yemen War Powers Resolution, I found myself in the middle of numerous debates about the constitutionality of the War Powers Act. Similarly, during the drafting and negotiating of the Chips and Science Act, I navigated many debates about corporate incentives but wished I had a stronger grasp of corporate finance.

I always wanted to go back to grad school. Initially, my plan was to return after a year or two on the Hill, but the work was so engaging and rewarding that I stayed eight years. Most chiefs of staff do not go back to school. I know this route is a bit unorthodox. But I'm charting my own path. My parents taught me no one can ever take away your education. These degrees and the knowledge I’ll gain will allow me to build on my experience in D.C. and equip me with new tools to help tackle the complex challenges facing our world.

2. What do you think young leaders should focus on to make a real difference in national security and foreign policy?

Prioritize developing meaningful relationships. In national security and foreign policy, trust and collaboration are foundational to effective policymaking. Before you negotiate, draft legislation, or debate, take time to understand the other person as a human being, not as a Democrat or Republican, or simply as someone from a different country. We’re all on “Team Human.”

Building trust is important before working with someone.

Also, don’t let disagreements prevent you from finding common ground. You may not agree with someone on every policy, but chances are you share overlapping interests. Vehemently disagree where necessary, but don’t let those differences overshadow the potential for advancing mutual interests. This approach helped me during my time on the Hill, allowing me to build unique coalitions and be a more effective policymaker.

3. You’ve juggled a lot of impressive roles. How do you stay focused and manage everything on your plate?

I like to use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize my tasks. Divide your to-do list into four quadrants: urgent/non urgent and important/nonimportant. I try to focus on the important and urgent tasks first. I then schedule the important/nonurgent tasks, delegate the non-important but urgent ones, and delete the non-important/non-urgent tasks.

Scheduling the tasks in my calendar has also been helpful. And then when I feel like procrastinating on a big task, I’ll sometimes knock out smaller, less intimidating tasks to build momentum.