General Leadership
  • Home
    • Home
    • Log-In or Register
    • Members Only
    • Sign-Up To Receive Our Newsletter!
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Register to become a contributor to GeneralLeadership.com
    • Let Us Publish You!
    • Speakers Bureau
    • Order of the Penguin
    • Featured Partners
    • Contact Us
  • Media
    • Media
    • The GL Team in Action!
    • Testimonials
  • Team
    • General Officer Authors
    • General John E. Michel
    • Matthew T Fritz
    • George H. Fritz
    • Catie Hargrove
    • Douglas VanWiggeren
    • Garth Sanginiti
    • Angela Maiers
    • Jean Michel
    • Jay Steven Levin
    • Chris R. Stricklin
    • Holly Michel
    • Kimberly Huth
    • Zach Stricklin
    • Taylor Fritz
  • Chats
  • Our Programs
    • MentorsMatter™
    • Vet2VetConnect™
    • LeaderView™

General Leadership

MailTwitter

Perfection Found in a Fighter Debrief

Sneak Pass SmallPerfection

Precision

Flawless Execution

As leaders, whether in combat or a Fortune 500 company, we strive for something that can never be achieved: Perfection. While flawless execution and perfection is likely impossible, it’s the pursuit of perfection that will get you closer to achieving it. With that fact in our mind, we struggle every day in our determination to achieve it.

So, how can we close the gap between our actual execution and our planned, perfect execution? The answer can be found in the halls of any Fighter Squadron.

Our Air Force is, hands down, the best in the world. Have you ever wondered how military leaders ensure the continued success of our nation’s fighting force? How does our military routinely take a young college graduate and turn them into a precision-focused supersonic Fighter Pilot? The answer is found in a simple, scalable, repeatable experiential learning accelerator known as The Debrief which reveals Lessons Learned.

This question was on my mind as I drove to my office in the sky one gloomy summer day. With a storm bearing down on the Gulf Coast, the sky was overcast and rain fell intermittently as I strapped into my McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle. As I ascended through rain and clouds, I emerged into a beautiful sunlit sky. A quick look in my rearview mirror revealed the storm falling further behind me. The many people below were heading to work under a sky that promised a wet and dreary day, but for me, the weather was amazingly beautiful in my office.

As I leveled my F-15C Eagle at 50,000 feet, a familiar view materialized. Instead of the normal sight distance which is limited to the environment directly around you on the ground, I could see multiple states – from the point where Mississippi kisses Alabama in the West, to the southward curve of Florida where Tallahassee turns to Gainesville in the East. The rain and wind that beset my early commute was a typical, small thunderstorm over Panama City, Florida, but it was below me now. The climb continued, the air clearing into a crisp, clear summer day. My eyes glided to the ends of the Earth. From my office I, can see her curvature, one of the sights that has always amazed me and to which I will never grow accustomed.

An Epiphany at 50,000 Feet

As my focus came back to the cockpit of my Eagle, I made a quick scan of her 350 dials and switches and thought about the clarity of this place. What most people see on the surface is limited. Limited in scope, limited in size and limited in distance. They take what their eyes reveal as the limitations of their world, never experiencing the vastness I see from above. At this point, I realized my followership had been developed in a similar fashion; an epiphany at 50,000 feet. For the first time, I was cognizant of what it meant to be a follower, a part of something bigger than myself and how an organization, leaders and followers all interweaved to empower success.

As I looked across the horizon, it seemed you could almost touch the layers of the atmosphere, each carrying its own distinct color. The view into space was the most amazing sight. Even in the middle of a summer day, the sky began to blacken and stars became visible. I felt as if my fighter jet was on the brink of space, and as if my professional evolution was on the brink of success. I was inspired on this simple, routine day to examine every aspect of military leadership development and the criticality of each individual aspect.

I felt the connection between the infinity of wonder lying just outside the protective atmosphere of our planet and the same limitless potential within each of us in our personal and professional development. After that flight, I began a concentrated effort to examine the details of what it meant to be a leader, follower and teammate, a pilot, instructor and evaluator. The answer is counterintuitive to what most of us have been taught over the years. Like a good magic trick, our focus has been drawn to a distractive path of study and predisposition while the true key to success was evolving in front of us with each action we take, we are modifying our future path. We must realize, in essence, our today is the result of the experiences, actions and decisions we made yesterday. While our today should be the culmination of the lessons learned in the past, it too often is the result of passive learning in the form of situations experienced instead with no personal or process improvement made. Why do we not take more time to truly understand lessons learned as fighter pilots do? The secret to success is Lessons Learned!

Today is the result of  the
experiences, actions, reactions and decisions made yesterday

As a new wingman in a Fighter Squadron, your primary duties are to become the best combat pilot possible. Ironically, your daily goal as a fledgling pilot is simply to survive. Survive one more flight, one more fight, one more debrief. This is the training and education which routinely yields the most capable aviators in the world is done through a deliberate process, clarified for the business world in a book I reread recently by James D. Murphy titled Flawless Execution. As he stated, “fighter pilots live and breathe the word ‘execution’. It’s life at Mach One— fast, and in many ways thrilling, but absolutely unforgiving.” How do they routinely sense and see things other people do not? Through one simple, scalable, repeatable action: The Debrief.

Life at Mach One—
fast, and in many ways thrilling, but absolutely unforgiving.

What is magical about the debrief that permits both evolutionary and revolutionary positive change? It is a process, an experiential learning accelerator, which increases the asset of experience. Murphy reveals that the power of the debrief resides in the actions of identifying problems and “accelerates the spread of the resulting solutions” through Lessons Learned. As a critical thinker, you are probably wondering why this ‘magical’ experiential learning has not spread beyond the fighter world. Harvard Business Review published to the business world that they should “Debrief every mission to review lessons learned and reinforce training.” A quick search of the internet reveals another profession which knows the power of the debrief: Surgeons. The American Journal of Surgery reveals that “changes in surgical training have decreased opportunities for experiential learning…[ and as a result ] a need exists to enhance surgical training through regular structured debriefing” A thorough debrief, simply, can reduce your time to insight. If done correctly, it will accelerate learning and increase experience beyond the mere time spent performing the actions being debriefed. The Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society  revealed teams that debriefed routinely outperformed those that did not by more than 25%. Also revealed through their study, Do Team and Individual Debriefs Enhance Performance? A Meta-Analysis, debriefs are most effective when properly structured, facilitated and properly aligned.

If Fighter Pilots and surgeons devote time to learn from their actions, how can your business afford not to do the same?  The Debrief, and the resulting Lessons Learned, allow fighter pilots from the widest variety of backgrounds and countless cultures to attain a level of execution most would think impossible. The two high-speed secrets of fighter pilot expertise are, in essence, two simple-process concepts which allow them to systematically unlock the skills they need to excel: the Debrief and the resulting Lessons Learned.

How did you enjoy today’s post?
If you liked what you read, sign up for our frequent newsletter by clicking HERE — and you’ll also receive our handy Leader’s Reference List
as our free gift to you!
Chris R Stricklin
Chris R Stricklin
Senior Curator at General Leadership
Chris R. Stricklin is a leader, mentor and coach integrating the fields of negotiations, leadership skills, public relations, public speaking and complex organizational change. His unique experience as a U.S.A.F. Thunderbird coupled with Pentagon-level management of critical Air Force resources valued at $840B, multiple N.A.T.O. assignments and command-experience in the United States Air Force allow his unique synthesis of speaking, leading, management, negotiations and continuous improvement. Chris is also a Certified Manager with degrees in Economics, Financial Planning, Strategic Studies and Operational Art and Science. He authored a negotiation primer which was subsequently published and adopted as required Air Force Pentagon new action officer orientation. He and his wife, Terri, have 4 children.
Tags: Chris R Stricklin, debrief, fighter pilot, Lessons Learned, Military leadership, stricklin
Log in

Our Authors

  • KevinBemel

    KevinBemel

    KevinBemel
    Total Post :0

  • tomdorl

    tomdorl

    tomdorl
    Total Post :1

    Recent Posts
    • Applying Leadership by the Numbers
  • philmorrison

    philmorrison

    philmorrison
    Total Post :0

  • GenPaulMcGillicuddy

    General Paul McGillicuddy

    GenPaulMcGillicuddy
    Total Post :1

    Recent Posts
    • Secret Traits Of Championship Teams
  • NikSanginiti

    NikSanginiti

    NikSanginiti
    Total Post :2

    Recent Posts
    • Intern Perspective: Overcoming Adversity
    • Intern Perspective: Enduring Excellence
  • ChristianKnutson

    ChristianKnutson

    ChristianKnutson
    Total Post :15

    Recent Posts
    • What Is Upward Leadership and Why You Need to Be Effective Doing It
    • Using Intelligence Theory to Lead and Unlock Creativity
    • How Mindset Can Affect Organizational Leadership
    • Sustaining High Performance In Your Teams
    • Embracing Stress To Lead Others Effectively
  • jkunkel

    jkunkel

    jkunkel
    Total Post :0

  • CroftEdwards

    CroftEdwards

    CroftEdwards
    Total Post :16

    Recent Posts
    • LeadershipFlow - Perfectly Square: A Story About Learning to Lead
    • Leadership: This AND That, Not This OR That
    • Can I Trust You As A Leader?
    • Hey Leader—What are You Fighting FOR?
    • Is It Time For A Leadership Break?
  • jscotheathman

    Scot

    jscotheathman
    Total Post :1

    Recent Posts
    • Authenticity Is The Secret Sauce
  • KenMcQuiston

    KenMcQuiston

    KenMcQuiston
    Total Post :0

  • JeffreySmith

    JeffreySmith

    JeffreySmith
    Total Post :1

    Recent Posts
    • Values-Based Leadership
  • BobGaylor

    BobGaylor

    BobGaylor
    Total Post :3

    Recent Posts
    • About Saying "I Love You"
    • I Like Hot French Fries
    • Cubs and Aspirations - Humor from Section 220
  • KimberlyHuth

    KimberlyHuth

    KimberlyHuth
    Total Post :1

    Recent Posts
    • Encourage TRUST in Your Workplace
  • DavidESpector

    DavidESpector

    DavidESpector
    Total Post :2

    Recent Posts
    • Are you Chewing Your Way Through Life?
    • Watch your Step
  • JoeThornell

    JoeThornell

    JoeThornell
    Total Post :29

    Recent Posts
    • It's Time for a Leadership Checkup!
    • Effective Leadership requires Key Ingredients
    • Leadership is Representation
    • Leadership in Stasis
    • Leadership Can Be Destructive
  • ColToddHirneisen

    ColToddHirneisen

    ColToddHirneisen
    Total Post :15

    Recent Posts
    • The Leadership Experience
    • It’s your stage, what do you do with it?
    • Opportunity: Don't Do Anything
    • Anarchy in the Workplace
    • Faking Your Way to Authenticity
  • CRStricklin

    CRStricklin

    CRStricklin
    Total Post :35

    Recent Posts
    • 3 Elements of A Shared Mental Model...The Thunderbird Way
    • The Passion of Leadership
    • Lead at the Speed of Trust
    • 4 All-Encompassing Effective Leadership Styles
    • Perfection Found in a Fighter Debrief
  • JasonMBrown

    JasonMBrown

    JasonMBrown
    Total Post :4

    Recent Posts
    • Creating a Problem-Solving Team
    • Every Team Needs A Coach
    • Think Twice Before Going Back to the Basics
    • The Two Most Important Questions In Leadership
  • kentlandreth

    kentlandreth

    kentlandreth
    Total Post :2

    Recent Posts
    • Train Your Replacement... Not Your Clone!
    • Lead with Your Feet
  • maddison

    Mickey Addison

    maddison
    Total Post :29

    Recent Posts
    • Leaders Are Readers
    • High Performing Leaders Live a Balanced Life
    • What is Synchronized Leadership?
    • Continuing the Mission - Your First 30 Days
    • Continuing the Mission - The First 100 Days
  • johnalbers

    johnalbers

    johnalbers
    Total Post :12

    Recent Posts
    • Credibility: Do you have it?
    • Experience - Is It Really the Best Teacher?
    • Passionate Leadership
    • Lessons on Leadership from Fishing (part II)
    • Lessons on Leadership from Fishing (part I)
  • SHIP

    SHIP

    SHIP
    Total Post :3

    Recent Posts
    • Priorities: A Different Approach
    • 6 Rules Learned in Afghanistan
    • Performance or Potential
  • dmcohen01

    Dave

    dmcohen01
    Total Post :2

    Recent Posts
    • Frozen Leadership
    • Forget Big and Flashy: Go For the Little Wow!
  • jokercarey

    jokercarey

    jokercarey
    Total Post :2

    Recent Posts
    • A Mother's Day Perspective
    • A Mother's Day Perspective
  • AngelaMaiers

    AngelaMaiers

    AngelaMaiers
    Total Post :4

    Recent Posts
    • The 5 C's of Passion Driven Leadership
    • A “To Be” List for Aspiring Leaders
    • Passion-Driven Leadership
    • Tactical Serendipity: Is Randomness Part of Your Leadership Strategy?
  • Geno Redmon

    Geno Redmon

    Geno Redmon
    Total Post :14

    Recent Posts
    • Lessons in Top Gun Leadership: The Fine Art of Delivering Corrective-Action
    • Top Gun Leadership: The Fine Art of Delivering Corrective Action.
    • Top Gun Leadership: Butt-Chewing 101 (pt 1 of 3)
    • Top Gun Leadership - Part 6
    • Top Gun Leadership Series - Part 5
  • ChrisPLevy

    Christopher P Levy

    ChrisPLevy
    Total Post :36

    Recent Posts
    • Construction or Demolition
    • Leading Leaders - How to be Successful
    • Go Ahead and Quit!
    • Self-Discipline, a Must for Team Success
    • Bridging the Divide
  • chrisrstricklin

    Chris_Stricklin

    chrisrstricklin
    Total Post :1

    Recent Posts
    • Monday Quote
  • dvanwig

    dvanwig

    dvanwig
    Total Post :4

    Recent Posts
    • You Are Free To Choose
    • Working For A Higher Purpose
    • Your Glass Can Be More Than Half Full
    • Prepare for the Future with a Completed Bucket List
  • khinparadise

    Mike Klintworth

    khinparadise
    Total Post :3

    Recent Posts
    • From Technical Expert to Successful Leader
    • 7 Essentials for Building a Dream Team
    • The Bridge To Your Big Dream
  • GenAllenJamerson

    General Allen Jamerson

    GenAllenJamerson
    Total Post :3

    Recent Posts
    • Social Media: A Professional’s Best Tool Used Wisely!
    • Leading with Moral Courage
    • Leading with Moral Courage
  • GenRogerBrady

    General Roger Brady

    GenRogerBrady
    Total Post :2

    Recent Posts
    • The One Reason Why We Still Insist on Honesty
    • The One Reason Why We Still Insist on Honesty
  • jslevin

    jslevin

    jslevin
    Total Post :15

    Recent Posts
    • Business Wisdom Learned From Bomb Squad Experts And Their Commanders
    • How Well Are You Leveraging The Different Thinking Styles Of Your Teams
    • Business Management Lessons from a San Francisco Bus Driver
    • DeCluttering - Your Way To Brilliance
    • Talent Stars - Don't Burn Your Shine!
  • GenGaryHughey

    General Gary Hughey

    GenGaryHughey
    Total Post :3

    Recent Posts
    • Any Job Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Right the First Time
    • Work is Honorable
    • Leadership and the Work Ethic
  • GarthStl

    GarthStl

    GarthStl
    Total Post :2

    Recent Posts
    • Time Waits for Nobody
    • Emotional Intelligence and A Call-Up to the Big Leagues
  • GenMichaelDiamond

    General Michael Diamond

    GenMichaelDiamond
    Total Post :4

    Recent Posts
    • What Happened to Long Term? - Pt 1
    • Leading the Right Team
    • Can Leaders be Heroes?
    • Generalship: 10 Traits Needed by Every Leader
  • GenJerryMartinez

    General Jerry Martinez

    GenJerryMartinez
    Total Post :2

    Recent Posts
    • Simulated Leadership
    • Simulated Leadership
  • GenJamesVechery

    General James Vechery

    GenJamesVechery
    Total Post :10

    Recent Posts
    • Passing the Baton: Leadership in Transition
    • Leadership Can Be Measured In Inches, Not Just Miles!
    • N is for Never Setting Your Goals Too Low
    • A Positive Attitude is Contagious
    • V is for Visionary Leadership: Move the Ball Down the Field
  • GenKathleenGainey

    General Kathleen Gainey

    GenKathleenGainey
    Total Post :1

    Recent Posts
    • The 3 Simple Rules of Effective Feedback
  • ColMattFritz

    Matthew Fritz

    ColMattFritz
    Total Post :15

    Recent Posts
    • A Tribute To Veterans - Solemnly Remember
    • A Day Short of Missing History
    • Why We Write...
    • Ask GeneralLeadership
    • Tune in Tonight! - 9pm Eastern - SiriusXM Patriot Channel 125!
  • GenJohnMichel

    General John Michel

    GenJohnMichel
    Total Post :92

    Recent Posts
    • Why Less is Best
    • Influence: Never Underestimate Your Impact
    • Seize the Moment
    • Vetrepreneur: Perpetual Payback
    • The Dual Pillars of Character: Strength & Honor