Page 88 - Never Fly Solo

LIFT VERSUS DRAG | 61
be a high achiever, spend time with people who lift you up
and challenge you. Share your days with wingmen who have
the courage, credibility, and compassion to tell it like it is.
They won’t accept your excuses and will challenge you to
grow. And they will also be your cheerleaders. Capt. Deke
Slaton, my F-16 instructor, was like that. He both challenged
and inspired me. We always had fun when we flew together.
Having him in my backseat on my first F-16 flight gave me
courage and confidence to take off.
So . . . how do you attract these people into your life? You
be what you want to attract. You become a trusted wingman
and help others fly to greater heights. You give your time,
encouragement, and advice to others who need it. You become
a “wing giver” to someone with a broken wing. You help dis-
sipate their drag while lifting them up with your wings. For
example, every week I try to go to lunch with someone new
whom I can help. As a result, others always seem to be there
to offer help when I need it. What goes around, comes
around.
Bottom line: you must do the hard work to build your
own character and develop relationships with others before
expecting others to do the same for you. This is the core of
leadership. For when you do this, the wingmen and partners
you want in your life will naturally be attracted to you. They
will feel comfortable coming to you for help, and you will
quickly find yourself surrounded by people who lift you up.
You get the most lift when you’re giving lift.

PUSH YOURSELF; PULL OTHERS

When I first started flying combat missions, I was terrified
most of the time. Most pilots were. For me, dealing with the