Page 96 - Never Fly Solo

BREAK RIGHT! | 69
one another. We knew we were ready for battle. We knew we
could trust each other to call out “Break right!” when the
missiles came. We were warriors with a mission.
They were my wingmen. They inspired me and gave me
courage. They made all the difference. I wouldn’t be flying
alone, and I knew that together, we would be successful in our
mission—just as you and your wingmen will lead each other
to success.

ONE TEAM, ONE MISSION
If there was one thing that got hammered into me more than
anything else in my military training, it was the concept of
teamwork and trust. In fact, unity was the prevailing theme
in our training, not to mention in our deployments. Everyone
was a partner. We knew our role and how it fit precisely into
the big picture, realizing that we were only as strong as the
weakest member of our squadron. The mission was a combi-
nation of all our efforts, from the fighter pilots to the mainte-
nance crews to the intelligence officer to the life support staff.
Anyone who tried to accomplish the mission on their own
eventually failed. We had to work together.
Can you imagine if this type of mentality and commit-
ment were present in your work environment? What if you
knew that when you looked left and right you could implicitly
trust your coworker, boss, associate, or vendor?
The old paradigm that maverick leaders and solo entre-
preneurs set the bar is outdated and no longer relevant in
today’s economy. While self-leadership is critical to any busi-
ness endeavor, the only way to maximize your potential, fulfill
your mission—and the mission of your organization—and