Page 39 - Never Fly Solo

12 | NEVER FLY SOLO
PREPARING FOR ADVERSITY DETERMINES
THE OUTCOME

I used to think that attitude had a lot to do with how one
responds to the missiles of business and life. But, the more
time I spend in business, I am convinced that it’s how we
prepare for adversity that determines the outcome. In the
world of the fighter pilot, the biggest factor that leads to suc-
cess in the hostile and competitive world of combat is prepa-
ration, not attitude. Believe me, my wingmen and I didn’t play
motivational tapes in the mission planning room before com-
bat! We prepared.
Preparation leads to power. And power means confidence
and trust in our ability to handle any adversity in flight. We
briefed the mission, studied the threat, formulated the tactics,
delegated roles and responsibilities, and then most impor-
tant, mentally rehearsed the mission. We contingency planned
every emergency, missile launch, and possible threat. We call
this “chair flying,” and it played a critical role in our ability
to win as a team of trusted partners when the stakes were
high.
Everything is hypothetical until the battle begins. Antici-
pate the unexpected. From the moment tactics are planned,
emergency procedures are outlined, communication require-
ments are set, and the target is plotted, until the mission is
flown, there are no guarantees that things will go as planned.
There is little margin for error, so preparation is absolutely
critical to winning. The greater the preparation, the greater
the ability to handle adversity, and the stronger the partner-
ship that develops. For this reason, fighter pilots frequently
assert, “The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in
battle.”