The predictable leader is stumbling.
The agile leader is soaring to new heights.
And I’m absolutely elated. Why?
Because in a world full of uncertainties, it’s the agile leaders who can adapt, learn from experience, and navigate life’s turbulence with confidence. Let me share a story of an inflight emergency that taught me unforgettable lessons about the power of planning and leadership.
It was a seemingly normal flight out of Bangladesh, we had just wrapped up a one-week exercise, COPE SOUTH. The exercise focused on flying and training at night with Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) with our Bangladeshi partners. The exercise was a success and we prepped our three airplanes and crews to depart, declaring the exercise a huge success.
When we arrived in the morning to mission plan we noticed our weather products was not a real-time forecast but rather a 48-hr product. Due to the austere conditions of Bangladesh we had our weather products sent to us in batches because things like the internet were not easily available. Everyone felt comfortable with the forecast and we were legal to fly as we called our ‘PACAF mother-ship’ via satellite phone to confirm the data.
Little did we know that we were heading straight into clear air turbulence.
The first two airplanes were light enough to fly to an initial altitude of 17,000ft. My aircraft, was too heavy and we had an intermediate level off at 15,000 feet, which is a common technique for us to burn off fuel and ‘step climb’ to the next altitude.
What happened next I can only describe as a violent free fall and loss of control to mother nature’s force cause by clear air turbulence which was residing at our altitude. We hit a pocket which jolted the airplane in negative G’s, I was standing and was slammed and pinned to the top of the airplane. When I came to, I could see my friend Dan doing all he could to arrest the descent practically putting his foot on instrument panel to use as leverage. We lost one thousand feet of altitude and leaving 25 people injured. We had to emergency divert into Thailand where we discovered that each wing had 126 cracks in the wing boxes.
This harrowing experience made me realize the importance of planning which helped me understand the importance of risk mitigation and predictability. I carried this planning mindset across four crucial areas in my life: faith, family, community, and work. By focusing on these pillars, we can develop a well-rounded approach to life, ensuring we’re ready to face any challenge head-on.
We can only take so many “cracks” in our daily lives before we need to be fixed.
So, how can we apply these lessons to our own lives and leadership journeys?
Enter the Guiding Lights Leadership LLC Agile Life Mastery Program, which combines faith, AI, leadership frameworks, and my 25 years of military experience dealing with hard landings in peacetime and combat. This program is designed to help you become more resilient in all areas of your life, giving you back your time, control, and precious moments with your loved ones.
Are you ready to unlock your potential and ignite your purpose? To learn more about the incredible insights gained from the inflight emergency and how you can apply them to your own life, check out my latest video on my YouTube channel.
The era of unprepared leaders is fading.
The time for agile, adaptive leaders has arrived.
And I’m beyond excited. Will you join the movement?
P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay updated on the latest leadership insights and be part of our growing community of like-minded individuals.