The Aerospace Executive Podcast

Military tactics can easily transition to business and help build strong teams. Accomplished author, businessman and USAF pilot talks about the importance of teamwork and how, as leaders, we should be interacting with those around us. When it comes to surviving a disaster, it’s not what you do at the time of crisis, it’s what you’ve done prior to that. -Lt Colonel Kevin Sweeney   Takeaways + Tacti...

The end of the 20th century brought the end of job security. It’s now evident… Your job or your best employee can quickly disappear in the keystrokes of a simple email. It’s for that reason why we should NEVER STOP HAVING CONVERSATIONS! Companies should always be recruiting, because you never know when your talent will leave. The last thing you need is to say ‘what now?’ -Craig Picken   Takeaways...

Many find themselves unhappy in their career paths and get lost when switching directions. Accomplished author and career coach, Michael Alan Tate, discusses how to be more intentional in career planning and how to effectively change career paths. Get intentional about what you want. -Michael Alan Tate Takeaways + Tactics  Family history is a great guide Putting personal skills and values in writi...

To BE world-class means understanding what world-class is. To get there requires a complete understanding of the world around you and seeing how others do it differently. Indeed, people and companies may think they’re good! But if they’re not looking beyond themselves, and understanding what the competition is doing, then they’ll never really know.   The only way to know you’re world class is by c...

Aircraft Deliveries, Declining Lease Rate, Airbus, MAX, Safety and more!  Richard Aboulafia, one of the world’s premier aviation analysts, offers his thoughts on the state of our industry.   There might be a time and place for breaking rules, but there needs to be a different mindset in Washington when it comes to airplane safety. -Richard Aboulafia   Takeaways + Tactics  The Airbus A220 was corpo...

Accelerator programs help start-up companies and major aerospace corporations develop technology.  Will Benton, Venture and Ecosystem Developer at ATI Boeing Accelerator discusses start-ups, industry investment and the future.  Accelerator programs offer participants a lot of value, like the varied network of individuals they provide participants access to. -Wil Benton   Takeaways + Tactics  ATI B...

Drake Massa will be someone’s rising star. At 12 years old he set a goal to make $100,000, and he hit it. Today, he’s a college junior who works full time, is paying for his own college, is taking a FULL load of classes, and is excelling. He’s why I’m bullish on the future! Co-founder of Massa Landscape Design, a Project Manager with Elm Builders and a Finance and Marketing Strategy major at the U...

Business Aviation will see monumental opportunities and face monumental challenges.  Acclaimed industry expert Rolland “Rollie” Vincent candidly shares what it will take for business jet OEMs and operators to thrive amidst an uncertain landscape.   People want more comfort in the cabin. In the future, this will have to translate into design - even on smaller aircrafts. -Rolland Vincent   Takeaways...

What goes up, usually comes down and cycles are called “cycles” for a reason!  Dr Adam Pilarski, Senior Vice President of AVITAS, shares his thoughts on the economic changes in commercial aviation.   Aviation is cyclical; we have to remember cycle means not only up but also down. There will be some negative moments in the coming future. -Dr Adam Pilarski   Takeaways + Tactics  Pay attention to pol...

CIA Tactics for the boardroom? Michele Rigby Assad, former CIA undercover operative and author of Breaking Cover, My Secret Life in the CIA shares why human connection is so important and what being a CIA operative has taught her about communication.   Learning how to make connections with others is really fundamental to being successful. -Michele Rigby Assad   Takeaways + Tactics  Be prepared!  T...

CIA Tactics for the boardroom? Michele Rigby Assad, former CIA undercover operative and author of Breaking Cover, My Secret Life in the CIA shares why human connection is so important and what being a CIA operative has taught her about communication. Learning how to make connections with others is really fundamental to being successful. -Michele Rigby Assad Takeaways + Tactics  Be prepared!  The m...

Extreme ownership creates effective leadership, even when it means fessing up to our shortcomings. Good leaders will accept responsibility for the performance of their teams – good or bad. While leadership is ultimately responsible for results, they must encourage their teams to own that which is theirs. Extreme ownership is realizing that if you’re the captain, you have to take responsibility and...

It’s vital we start thinking about the company culture – NEVER underestimate its importance.   In this 15 minute episode we discuss why and how cultures will make or break companies in 2020. Great company cultures are built by giving people roles they’re capable of handling. If they don’t succeed, it’s up to us as leaders to give them guidance. - Craig Picken Takeaways + Tactics  Identify company...

Everyone has a great story to tell, so tell it!   70% of the buying decision has already been made online and transactional business can be done via online marketing.  Strategic buying decisions, however, require sound, professional relationships Tom Schwab discusses how businesses and people can rise from obscurity to share their message.  Marketing is starting the right conversation with someone...

  Tyler Rogoway, Editor for “The War Zone” (www.thewarzone.com) is THE expert on the world’s militaries, capabilities and defense programs.  In this episode he flawlessly highlights Chinese military expansion, why DOD programs are struggling and how Innovation will need to come to the rescue.      Takeaways + Tactics  China is moving far and fast with incredible technological advancements. The US...

  He’s much more than just “the Black Hawk Down” guy…   Mike Durant is also an accomplished entrepreneur, CEO, and business leader who gets results.  Learn how he creates a company culture that makes for happier employees and better results.      Takeaways + Tactics  Having the right people on the team makes all the difference. Leaders must ensure they hire the right people for the job. If an empl...

  Most organizations screen leaders based on their Brainiac intelligence (IQ). What they ignore is the emotional ability to connect, the EQ, which is a vastly more important tool to drive teams forward. What can EQ achieve that IQ cannot? EQ is all about interacting with people in a strategic way that get things done. Instead of focusing on how smart someone is, we should be more focused on what k...

There are two types of business leaders:  Top down leader who dictates tasks that needs to be done and the commander-style leader who sets the strategy and relies on his team to implement it.  What style do “A” players work with best?  CEOs who micromanage cannot be effective. -Craig Picken   Takeaways + Tactics  Sometimes getting the best results means giving control to your teams Hire the right...

  The first sale that needs to be made is “you.”  A key to success is making sure YOU’RE the first and obvious choice for clients.  Founder of the Unstoppable CEO, bestselling author, and podcaster, Steve Gordon, shares how to build a media platform around our expertise.   Takeaways + Tactics  Stop looking for the ‘secret sauce’. There are really no novel ideas.  Instead of looking for something c...

If you think you’re a maverick leader it’s probably time to put on the brakes … your shelf-life may be short. Every once in a while, companies go through a tornado of sorts, where chaos reigns supreme in the name of change. What are the dangers of disruptive leaders? When is it appropriate to hire or be one and what does it mean for the existing guard?      Takeaways + Tactics  As leaders, we can’...

The macro-trends of society are making it increasingly difficult to build a skilled aviation workforce.    John Holmes, CEO of AAR Corp., discusses AAR’s leading role in skills development and how trends in aviation will create new opportunities for both airlines and MROs.       Takeaways + Tactics  By creating programs that serve as career pathways for young people, we can introduce them to the v...

The rise of digital platforms has changed nearly every industry, from aerospace to banking. How can we continue to thrive as the world gears up for the next industrial revolution? Where are we going wrong? And will our missteps today have a big impact on our businesses in the future? On this episode, best-selling author and podcaster, Michael Gale, shares how we can take our businesses into the di...

Everyone wants the “A’s.”  Getting them is easier said than done.  Worse, some companies discourage the best candidates via poor recruiting practices. On this episode, we discuss the best way to approach the recruitment process.     You should always be recruiting internally first. -Craig Picken   Takeaways + Tactics  ALWAYS develop your bench. Constant people development is THE key to long-term s...

Sam Mehta, President of Collins Aerospace Mechanical Systems, shares how the Rockwell Collins and UTAS integration is helping the industry soar.     A few points he delivers upon in this fantastic 30-minute podcast: Driving a customer-centric approach How companies will make money in the aftermarket Industry recruiting and next generation of required skills Playing a leading role in developing tec...

Many CEOs fall into the “growth trap” as their business scales. What is it, and how do you avoid it? Mark Green, author of Activators, shares strategies on the best ways to find personal and business growth.      Takeaways + Tactics Leaders MUST discover personal growth.  Without it, their teams cannot advance.  How to ask the right questions when interviewing for a senior role Surrounding yoursel...