CREW Convention Opens With Advice from US Navy Fighter Pilot
Carey Lohrenz, the first female U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot, knows what it takes to succeed. Today, she provided critical insight and pointed out the importance of having a bold vision to attendees at the CREW Network Convention opening keynote today.
ORLANDO, FL—“Your voice is your power,” said 2019 CREW Network President, Holly Neber, CEO of AEI Consultants, during the opening program at this year’s CREW Network Convention and Marketplace in Orlando, FL. She introduced the 30th anniversary video during a morning presentation today. “We are in this together and have each other’s back. Thank you all for being part of our history.”
Next up to the stage was Carey Lohrenz, the first female U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot, who knows what it takes to succeed in one of the most demanding, extreme environments imaginable.
Lohrenz pointed out that some of the same qualities that helped her break barriers and make naval aviation history can also help the women in the room accomplish more than they ever could imagine.
“Every day, how you show up matters. Each of you need to show up as a fearless leader. Then you need to figure out how to get people on this journey with you,” she told the more than 1,200 attendees.
In her Wall Street Journal best-selling book, Fearless Leadership: High-Performance Lessons from the Flight Deck, she encapsulates her advice on how to supercharge performance in today’s competitive business environments. Drawing on a trail-blazing career in the U.S. Navy, the book, and her speech today provided critical insight on the importance of setting a bold vision to bring teams together and staying resilient through hard times.
“You need to be able to have a plan you can adapt from,” she said. “Eighty percent is good enough.”
In addition to flying, Lohrenz was put in leadership roles as part of her role as a fighter pilot. “Every three to four months, we were always changing roles. What that does is keeps you in the habit of learning and being curious. It also makes you understand how the entire organization works and helps to start shattering silos.” According to Lohrenz, it is critical to realize how critical each and every piece is. “It took an entire high performing team to get my job done.”
Leadership that understands that when you are working in a really chaotic environment, your main goal is to clarify the complex, she explained. “On an aircraft carrier, the main purpose is safely launching and recovering of aircrafts. We are overwhelmed each and every day and it can be frustrating. Your biggest leadership challenge, no matter where you are or how many people you are leading, your biggest challenge will be to understand what your purpose is.”
She said to figure out your purpose, focus on what matters and execute with discipline, you will go further than the competition every day of the week. “If you lose sight, you lose the fight.”
She adds that it is key to also show up with a good attitude. “You have to have standards of excellence and hold yourself to those values. A positive attitude don’t guarantee success but a negative attitude doesn’t allow you to adapt. Without adapting, you won’t survive.”
Be sure to check back with GlobeSt.com in the coming days for more coverage from the convention and read some of the related stories you might have missed below.