CEOtoCEO was honored to welcome Lt. Col. Rob "Waldo" Waldman to the broadcast this morning. Waldo is a combat decorated fighter pilot, New York Times Best Selling Author, Executive Coach and Speaker. His high energy delivery and great blend of stories from his military and business career kept viewers engaged.

Through the unique lens of a former Fighter Pilot, Waldo shared similarities between being an integral part of a fighter squadron, being a "wingman", and being a business leader, leading teams into "battle".

As a leader, the executive, you're expected to lead the way. You are expected make the tough choices, to set the tone, and to dodge the missiles, often taking any collateral damage that may occur.

Waldo drew a comparison between leaders easing up on the throttle as they deal with business issues, stating that the key to success is to resist the temptation to ease up when the pressures to perform come. Alternatively, he cautioned business leaders not to ease up on the throttle when things are going well. When leaders ease up on the throttle when things are great, it's called complacency. Complacency kills businesses, relationships, brands and revenues.

Waldo stressed the importance of being prepared, planning, and having succession plans. That successful leaders are committed to excellence, and have and are a trusted partner - a wingman. He said that as a business leader, you need to be an encourager and a lifter, not a dragger. Be the inspirer, cultivating hope and courage with your team. He supported this by saying "The best fuel is appreciation" and to "Be a commander, not a demander."

Waldo mentioned the importance of your wingman's ability to see your "6" or blind spot, not only in combat, but in business. Waldo believes the key to building a culture of trust and performance in business lies with your "wingmen" - those who help you overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and achieve success.

In business and life, you should never fly solo! The power to win lies in the ability of every wingman in your organization, regardless of their role, to support the team and be 100% accountable and committed to the mission.

You won't want to miss this personal, highly engaging, inspirational, and powerful presentation! This is one you'll want to watch with your leadership team and colleagues. Become a Premium Subscriber to have access to Waldo's presentation and all future, and past, CEOtoCEO presentations!