Kristin C. Lewis’ Post

How does #mentalfitness relate to a former Manchester United Captain? The answer is to be revealed in tomorrow's video. Stay tuned! #PrincipalLife #EdLeaders #SchoolLeadership #EduLeadership #Headmaster #headship #schoolleaders

In the realm of aviation, private jet ownership might seem like a realm reserved for the few. However, it's more common than most would think. With my experience in pushing boundaries and fostering financial independence, one lesson stands out: achieving extraordinary success often means taking the road less traveled - or in this case, the flight path less congested. Whether it's about saving time for high-profile executives or offering privacy, private jets symbolize a level of achievement we can all aspire to. Let's connect and discuss how personal ambitions align with exclusive realities. #Leadership #PrivateAviation

I am proud to say that I have been given the responsibility of Captain by United Airlines. My examiner left me with a question, "What is your job?" and it got me thinking about the Captain I want to be. Even though I have had command responsibility in the past, maturity and experience continuously evolve who you are and who you want to be. So, what is my job? Knowledge? Leadership? Mentorship? One thing I've come to realize is that it's not my job to know everything, but rather to understand the strengths of my team and the resources available to me. As a Captain, I do not get to choose if I am a role model. I can choose to be a positive influence, and I can choose to set the standard, but I do not get to choose my place as a role model. The job trusts you into that responsibility. I am excited to embrace this new role and continue to grow as a leader. What does being a role model mean to you? #airlines #aviation #boeing #leadership #mentorship #rolemodel #pilotlife

Thank you Kathryn Creedy for diving into the #Boeing case study with me! Boeing's Downfall: A Cautionary Tale of Cultural Decay 🛫 Key Learnings: 🔴 A culture obsessed with short-term profits over quality/safety can destroy even the mightiest of companies. 🚨 Dismissing whistleblowers and safety experts is a recipe for disaster. An open culture that welcomes feedback is crucial. 📏 True accountability at the leadership level is necessary to overhaul a rotten culture. Golden parachutes for failed executives perpetuate the problem. ⛑ Restoring engineering rigor and the "safety first" philosophy is vital for Boeing to regain its former reputation for excellence. 🎧 Listen to the full conversation here: Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ejRkkemy Apple: https://lnkd.in/eqMU6qMj #Boeing #Aviation #AirlineSafety #CorporateCulture #Leadership #Accountability #737MAX #Whistleblower

Keeping a "servant leadership" mindset bode well for us in 2023. Check out our plans for 2024 in a recent edition of Aviation International News: https://bit.ly/3vKFGvh #servantleadership

If you want a strong culture, you need strong rituals. Pilot training has a great ritual. The first major milestone in any pilot’s career is their solo flight. This is the first time you leave your instructor back on the ground and take to the air all on your own. Your life is literally in your hands. During Air Force pilot training, in preparation for the solo, each member of the class will put their names on the side of a large dunk tank. After your solo, your class's goal is to grab you, pick you up, and drop you in the dunk tank. Your goal is to get from your plane to the flight room without anyone catching you. Of course no one does. Everyone gets caught. Everyone gets wet. Then you cross your name off the side of the tank. It is a really fun bonding moment for the class and celebrates a major milestone in your flying career. Team’s can have all kinds of positive rituals. - How do you celebrate a sale? - What happens when you finish a project? - Do you stop to acknowledge birthdays on your team? Teams can also have negative rituals. - How do people respond when someone makes a mistake? - Is there celebration when someone gets promoted? - Do people run for the doors at the end of the day? The rituals you choose to promote on your team will have a big say in the kind of culture your team has. They can seem silly at first but make a big difference over time. The military uses rituals to celebrate big achievements and build strong teams. What rituals do you have on your team? #Teams #Managers #Leadership #Celebration

To all of my fellow aviators, please consider reading and sharing your thoughts on my latest blog post about the gap in leadership training in aviation. Read article 👇 https://lnkd.in/evrVyZAK #aviationtraining #aviationindustry #aviationsafety #pilottraining #leadershipdevelopment #pilotleadership #aviationblogger

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate is a phrase we learn early in our flight training that helps us to slow down in an emergency, to prioritize under pressure, and take the appropriate action. This same concept works outside of the cockpit as well and I’ve used it to help me lead my team (and my family) in a crisis or when I’m feeling overwhelmed by change, challenge, or adversity. 🛩 Aviate. We need to focus on those things we can control and maintain focus on our critical priorities. When times get tough and we’re feeling overwhelmed, we need to think about what’s most important. What are those things that you have to keep doing to keep from hitting the ground?   🗺 Navigate. We need to have awareness of the goals we are trying to achieve, maintaining our momentum, knowing where there are threats or risks to the team and mission.   🎙 Communicate. We must communicate clearly, concisely, and correctly (perhaps more than ever in a crisis) . . . communicating with our team to ensure they know the way forward, communicating with others if we need help.   If you want to lead with courage, then aviate, navigate, and communicate. Focus on what you can control. Focus on what’s most important first. #Leadership #Aviation #FlyingInTheFaceOfFear #LeadWithCourage

Chapter 9 of Dave Alpern’s 📕 has me thinking about what Joe Gibbs Racing identified as “The Most Important Question”. It reminded me of a business school case study I’d read years ago profiling Southwest Airlines (I had to Google which airline) and their mantra of “Wheels Up.” Basically it connected every employee’s commitment to achieving whatever needed to be done in order to get planes ✈️ ready to depart and get back in the air. They weren’t making money while the craft were grounded. So everyone’s focus had to be on getting the wheels up (and off the ground). Similarly, JGR leadership challenges themselves, and their team to answer the question, “Does this make us go fast?” It underpins every financial and strategic decision. I don’t have a lot of time or 💰 available for my race craft; so, instead of worrying about keeping up appearances or trying to look the part, it seems like a more worthwhile and focusing exercise for little guys like us is just to concentrate on the things that’ll help us go fast too. #BuildingSpeed