A Fighter Pilot’s Lessons On Facing Adversity and Building Resilience

The key is to build resilience before facing adversity

In this ever-changing, complex, dynamic world, we need leaders who know how to face adversity and build resilience. We must be able to build personal resilience as we tackle tough leadership issues and challenges, and we also must be able to build team resilience so that when times get tough, we are able to improvise, adapt, and overcome.
 

As a fighter pilot, I’ve flown thousands of hours in a fighter jet and over a hundred missions in combat. I’ve dealt with some significant obstacles and challenges flying missions in both training and combat. I’ve faced fear and uncertainty and had to overcome difficult circumstances to accomplish the mission. If I was leading the formation, then I had to be able to lead my wingmen, my teammates, in the face of adversity to achieve mission success.

Individual Resilience

When I look back at some of my most challenging missions, I realize that there were four key factors that helped me be more resilient.

1. Preparation - I was prepared to face uncertainty and deal with challenges. I visualized and practiced contingencies by using a pilot preparation technique called chair flying. Every night before I flew, I would sit in a chair in my room facing a picture of the cockpit on the wall. I would then talk through every part of my mission, practicing radio calls, thinking through maneuver parameters, and analyzing potential areas that could go wrong on the mission. I thought about those worst-case scenarios and what I would do if they happened. So, when it came time to deal with the situation, it was as if I had been there before, and I was better prepared to face adversity.

2. Flexibility – We train to deal with change, to be flexible in the situation, and to adapt and adjust when the mission doesn’t go as planned. By putting ourselves in training situations where we had to make decisions when the plan was falling apart and when we didn’t have perfect information or the perfect solution, we became more comfortable dealing with ambiguity.

3. Commitment – More than anything, in those difficult situations, I didn’t want to let my wingmen down. I was willing to push through tough times and overcome challenges to ensure the success of my team. This wasn’t about me; it was about fulfilling a commitment to the team.

4. Trust – In challenging times, our team came together and supported each other. I knew I could count on my wingmen to provide me with mutual support. We created an environment of trust where we could debrief our missions, provide feedback on our performance, and hold each other accountable with the goal of elevating the performance of the team. In tough times and when faced with challenges, we knew we could work together to excel.

Organizational Resilience

Creating a resilient organization also takes work, just like building your own personal resilience. It requires time and resources. It also requires leaders to set an example and lead with courage. So, what actions can you take as a leader to ensure your team is equipped to thrive in challenging times?

1. Preparation - Ensure your team is prepared by developing crisis response plans and then take the time to walk through or talk through different scenarios that your team might face. Practice, rehearse, or visualize to find opportunities for improvement. Share and discuss alternative solutions. Consider creating a “red team” to ask tough questions and challenge solutions.

2. Flexibility - Encourage creative and innovative ideas when tackling problems. Train your team to be adaptable and flexible when they don’t have perfect information. Recognize what you don’t have, confirm the minimum information needed, and then execute.

3. Commitment – Create a “wingman” culture where team members understand the role they play on the team and how they fit into the bigger picture. Reinforce why each team member’s contribution is critical to shared success.

4. Trust – Cultivate an environment where team members feel safe to be vulnerable, share ideas, and provide feedback. Help build relationships and create connections on your team so that when times get tough, they have teammates they can count on.

The key is to build resilience before facing adversity. Take the time now to build resilience for yourself and for your team. You must be prepared to respond and adjust when the mission (or life) doesn’t go as planned. Put in the work to prepare for tough times so you can thrive in demanding situations. If you want to lead with courage, then build the resilience of your team with every experience and through every difficult event you face.

Author Bio

Colonel Kim “KC” Campbell served in the Air Force for 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. Kim is a keynote speaker and bestselling author sharing her story about a life-changing combat experience while weaving in ideas and lessons about leadership, teamwork, perseverance, and decision making in stressful environments. Kim's new book, Flying in the Face of Fear: A Fighter Pilot's Lessons on Leading with Courage will be available on March 8, 2023. Connect Kim "KC" Campbell