Blue Angels and Boxes

March 20, 2025

I do hope you are planning to join me at AICC’s Spring Meeting from April 30 to May 2, 2025, in Bonita Springs, Florida. I am extremely excited about this meeting, not because I have the privilege of chairing the meeting but because of the content, especially the Friday keynote speaker, John “Gucci” Foley.

Who is Foley? He is a former U.S. Marine instructor pilot, a six-time “Top Ten Carrier Pilot,” and a former lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy’s elite demonstration flying team. All cool things, but perhaps coolest of all: He piloted planes in the movie Top Gun.

Foley has transformed his experience in the cockpit to the business world. He brings together my passions for flying and entrepreneurial business. Who better to reinforce my “Fly the Plane” theme for AICC this year?

To set the stage for the Spring Meeting, here are the key points of my business-
flying analogy:

Leadership as piloting: Just as a pilot guides an aircraft, a business leader sets the course and makes critical decisions to navigate the company.
Strategic planning as a flight plan: A well-defined business strategy is like a flight plan, outlining the route with necessary adjustments to reach the destination.
Market challenges as turbulence: Unexpected economic downturns and industry disruptions can be compared to turbulence in the air, which a business needs to navigate carefully.
Teamwork as cockpit coordination: Collaboration and communication among team members are essential for effective operations, just like the communication of the flight and cabin crews.
Sales as fuel: Like an airplane needing fuel to fly, a business needs sales and marketing to sustain operations and growth.
Production as the engine: Engines provide the thrust necessary to reach the destination, while the production team ensures satisfied customers.

I am excited to hear Foley talk about how elite performance becomes possible when you connect the heart and head in pursuit of purpose, meaning, and significance.

Blue skies and tailwinds to you all. See you in Florida.