The Debrief Culture That Makes Fighter Pilots Elite - Leadership Lessons from Michelle "Mace" Curran

Full show notes at https://www.LearningLeader.com/podcast Sign up for my free weekly newsletter "Mindful Monday," read by tens of thousands of leaders pursuing excellence here: https://ryanhawk.kit.com/profile/posts Guest: Michelle "Mace" Curran is a former U.S. Air Force Thunderbird pilot and one of only 2% of female fighter pilots in military history, breaking barriers in one of the most elite and demanding fields in aviation. She spent over a decade flying high-performance aircraft including three years as a demonstration pilot with the world-famous Thunderbirds, where she performed precision aerobatics at air shows across the globe. WHO AM I? I’m Ryan Hawk, a writer, podcaster, advisor, and teacher. My favorite thing to do is have a deep, long-form conversation with a thoughtful person. Fortunately, I get to do that often on my podcast, The Learning Leader Show. I created The Learning Leader Show in 2015 as a way to follow my curiosity about leadership and excellence with great rigor. It has since been listened to by millions of people in more than 150 countries. 00:00:00 - Episode Trailer 00:00:52 - Mace’s Family Influence 00:02:04 - Exposure to Aviation & Career Aspirations 00:06:09 - The Challenges and Gender Dynamics in the Military 00:10:45 - Overcoming Adversity and Seeking Help 00:20:24 - Building Community Through Curiosity & Vulnerability 00:28:13 - A Near Head-On Collision: Mace’s Story 00:39:59 - The Debrief Culture and It’s Importance 00:46:41 - The Breakdown of Debriefs for Corporate America 00:58:55 - Advice for Young Professionals 01:02:31 - Mace’s New Book