Name: Waldo
Email:
Bio: Lt. Col. Rob 'Waldo' Waldman - The Wingman - is a professional leadership speaker and peak performance consultant. He teaches executives, entrepreneurs, associations and corporations how to build trusting, revenue producing relationships with their employees, partners, and customers. While relaying his personal experiences as a combat decorated fighter pilot and businessman, he makes a striking parallel that is memorable and exciting and brings fighter-pilot energy into each story and illustration. A former Air Force fighter pilot, he relates his real world combat and business experience to sales and management execution of corporations nationwide. Waldo is a highly experienced combat veteran with over 2,650 flight hours and sixty-five real world combat missions, having flown both in Iraq enforcing the “No-Fly Zone” and in Yugoslavia during Operation Allied Force in 1999. Some of his military honors include five Air Medals, two Aerial Achievement Medals, and four Air Force Commendation Medals. Waldo's new book "Never Fly Solo" is available at Http://www.neverflysolo.com or visit his website at Http://www.yourwingman.com
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- Speed to market. Avoid “analysis paralysis.” Instead of endlessly talking, testing and planning as you try to make a new product or service perfect, get it to market NOW. The Raytheon team didn’t run back to the lab for endless testing and re-testing. They tested the solution in real time. While you never want to market a faulty or inadequate product, one that is 97% ready to go can be good enough to serve your customer’s needs (and still beat the competition.)
- Get timely intel on targets. Keep your “business radar” sweeping for qualified prospects and leads. You need to use every available resource to keep abreast of potential new clients and relevant up to date intelligence on your market. Yesterday’s news does not work for today’s prospects. Social media (like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook), networking events, and information from industry publications are great intelligence resources.
- Speed to target! How fast do you follow-up on a hot lead or get back to a prospect or current customer who requests information or needs help? (Hint: Immediately is a good response.) Today, with constant connectivity to the web, people expect answers quickly and simply are not willing to wait. For critical information, don’t just send an e-mail response. Pick up the phone and personally connect. If necessary, meet your prospect in person like Raytheon did.
- Quick mission follow up. After a meeting or conclusion of a business engagement, always send a thank you card right away (hand written and hand addressed singles you out.) Did you get the business or lead with the help of a wingman? Send a thank you to that person as well.
- Debrief every mission: Whenever possible, a post mission debriefing should be conducted with a client or prospect. Go through the good, bad and ugly. Be open to any type of feedback. Sometimes, a request or complaint may result. Both are opportunities to soar. A request means the chance to prove your value – even if it’s outside your skill set. Find a wingman in your network who can help you and your client. You’ll prove yourself to be a great “go to” resource. Complaints? Deal with them quickly and use them as opportunities to improve performance. Finally, never delay saying “I’m sorry” when you mess up. Mistakes happen. Clean them up quickly and then move on.
- Make it a priority to call a few of your special contacts every day. Do this first thing in the morning if able. These include your top clients, vendors and yes, your friends.
- Use your phone judiciously. Before you head to the airport or Starbucks, make a list of a few wingmen to call while in your car or at the gate.
- Give something of value to your contact on the phone (i.e., a referral). Before you hang up, ask them this special question: “Is there anything I can help you with?”
- ** If you really want to connect with a new e-contact, research their website and call them. I guarantee they will be impressed …a nd shocked.
- Am I focused on my past failures or my past successes?
- How have I improved from yesterday to today?
- What actions will I take today to plant the performance seeds for tomorrow?
Speed is Life
February 8th, 2010
On time, on target – the key to outstanding business execution
For a fighter pilot in combat, speed is everything. It improves maneuverability, allows faster target engagement, and it can be ‘converted’ to a higher altitude for better situational awareness of the battlefield. Speed is also essential when aborting a mission or avoiding a formidable threat. It can save your life.
That’s why we have a saying in the jet fighter community:
Speed is life.
Those three simple words took on a new meaning for me, my squadron and a group of engineers in April of 1999, and taught me a vital lesson.
My wingmen and I were in a daily full-fledged air-to-ground battle with the corrupt regime of Slobodan Milosevic during Operation Allied Force. The enemy forces in Serbia had formidable surface-to-air weapons and their radar systems were doing a very effective job at tracking our aircraft. They even shot a few fighters down.
Our mission in the 79th Fighter Squadron: track and destroy these enemy radar sites using the HARM Targeting System (HTS) in conjunction with the HARM (High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile). Both systems were built by the defense contracting company Raytheon. Initially, our squadron was very effective at eliminating the enemy sites, but after just a few weeks they were able to jam our targeting systems. Our mission effectiveness dropped rapidly and we were now all at risk. It was a do-or-die situation and we needed help…fast!
We called Raytheon and explained our dangerous predicament. In just a few days, their engineers were on base briefing us on a revised plan to defeat the threat. I’ll never forget the site in our huge, secure, fortified hangar – three engineers in khaki pants and buttoned down shirts briefing over 100 pilots in sweaty flight suits! They asked questions and then listened. They went back to the drawing board and worked on a solution. Within a day, we had upgraded software for the HTS and HARM loaded into the F-16s’ computers. We went from vulnerable to mission ready, just like that.
Raytheon was living the concept of “speed is life.” When we asked them for help, they didn’t reply, “Thanks for the feedback guys. We’ll get back to you in a few weeks.” They knew lives were on the line. Their sense of urgency and commitment to serving us – the customer – drastically improved our mission effectiveness and possibly saved lives.
Today there is a “new normal” in business. Like Raytheon, we all have to be more responsive and more in tune with prospects, clients and our operating environment. More than ever, speed and timing are essential to stay ahead of the competition.
Want to have more speed in business? Try implementing these “speed wingtips:”
In a competitive business climate, speed is indeed life. And while your life may not be on the line (like it was for me and my wingmen in Kosovo), the life of your business is. Like Raytheon, go above and beyond to be proactive and demonstrate how your customer service is different from the competition. When you do, you’ll gain loyalty, trust, and yes…maybe even a valuable new client.
Check out Waldo’s Best-Selling Book Never Fly Solo!
Visit Waldo at the “Your Wingman” (http://www.yourwingman.com) website.
Or, on Twitter at Http://www.twitter.com/WaldoWaldman
From Facebook to Phonebook
November 19th, 2009
Photo courtesy of MJM
Like many of you, I recently joined the Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn craze and it’s been great. I’ve re-connected with old friends from high school, college and my fighter pilot days, and I’ve also met some very interesting people. And yes—like you, I can easily spend a few hours a day on these sites checking out profiles and looking at cool videos and photos.
Last week, I was driving home from a lunch meeting and was thinking of who I needed to re-connect with. David Greenberg (a personal friend and one of the best speaker coaches I know) came to mind. And I did something crazy. I didn’t search for him on Facebook. Nor did I Tweet him a personal message. I didn’t even send him an e-mail. I actually called him on the phone, and believe it or not, he answered! We connected, shared some cool business ideas and I hung up feeling great.
Yes, I know I’m being a bit facetious here. But I have to say that if there is one thing that drives this wingman “wingnuts” is when people abuse this whole social-networking thing. In many ways, it’s gone from “here’s what I’m doing” to “here’s what I’m selling.” From “let me connect you to” to “let me sell you.”
Well, I’ve got news for you, ye social networking gurus. If I don’t know you, I probably won’t buy from you. The reason I said “probably” is because there are times when we will buy something from someone even if we don’t know them. If it has value and can help our business/life, then hey, it’s worth a look. And there’s nothing wrong with occasionally sharing our great product, seminar or book with our contacts. Social-networking sites are a tremendous way to expose our market to our value.
But please, let’s not put our sales links and impersonal offers in EVERY POST we make on Twitter or Facebook!
We need to be careful not to abuse the social-networking sites and our connections. They are primarily for networking and making contacts, not direct sales.
I believe our phone book should still remain our primary method for building and maintaining our relationships. One phone call equals 50 tweets and Facebook messages. Phone calls are great at building trust, and trust what a wingman is all about.
So, here are some wingtips to augment your social-networking efforts:
In this high speed age of Twitter and text messaging where words on a screen are the norm, we need to hear each other’s voices. Voices incur emotion and emotion is what connects people. And when connections are made, trust is built and relationships develop. How people make you feel is what initially builds relationships, not the product they sell.
So, if you want to be a trusted partner—to your network, don’t forget to reference your phonebook in addition to Facebook when flight planning your next mission.
Lift vs. Drag – A Leader’s Perspective
October 4th, 2009
Photo courtesy of E-Man's AV8Pix.com
So, how do you get a 35,000-pound F-16 jet fighter to fly?
It’s no easy feat.
To overcome the force of gravity, you have to create a force that is greater than gravity’s grasp. That force is lift.
THE ENEMY IS A DRAG
As the F-16 blasts through the sky, there is an “enemy” of lift that must be overcome. It’s an aerodynamic force that resists the forward motion of the jet (known as drag.)
GOOD DRAG
There are two kinds of drag—induced and parasite. Induced drag is a “good drag.” It’s a byproduct of lift and is necessary for flight.
BAD DRAG
Parasite drag is not helpful because it battles against the good drag, working to slow the aircraft down. It’s caused by the non-lifting portions of the aircraft, such as the landing gear, missiles, and external fuel tanks.
HERE’S THE BIG PICTURE
In order to fly, a jet’s lift must exceed drag. The less drag, the easier the plane flies.
Let’s look at this on a practical level in fighter combat. When evading missiles or engaging another fighter in close combat, one of the first things you must do is what pilots call “jettison your stores.” You have to get rid of all the parasite drag hanging from the jet that’s not critical to immediate, fast flight. Fuel tanks and bombs, for example, must go. This reduces your weight while simultaneously reducing drag, allowing the fighter to be much more maneuverable to avoid getting shot down.
Simply put, if you don’t need it, you drop it.
WHAT’S DRAGGING YOU DOWN?
What “parasites” do you have dragging you down and stopping you from reaching new heights in your life?
Parasites are the negative relationships that sap you of your energy and time while giving nothing in return. They are also the fears, doubts, mental baggage, dramas, and self-limiting beliefs that strangle your ability to take action. Parasites suck the life out of you. They can drag you down emotionally and hold you back from being a successful leader.
HANGING AND HOLDING
Do you have any of that “hanging around?”
We all have parasite drag in our lives. We’re just not aware that we have it, or we put off doing anything about it until our own personal “missiles” begin to fly. The problem is if we’re dragged down too much, the missiles will hit us.
What are you holding on to that you really need to let go of? Here’s my advice. Jettison your parasite now!
Are you willing to jettison what’s dragging you down so you can become more fulfilled and successful? Perhaps it’s an unhealthy relationship, laziness, or a private addiction such as TV, gambling, or even a sugar fix. Or maybe a bad job bringing you down or a fear of failure stopping you from starting a new business.
Want to find what gives lift in your life?
Look at what drives your passion. Look at the relationships and activities that get you excited and energized and ready to “push it up” in life. Then, pursue them relentlessly. Seek what gives you life.
When flight planning for success, winners have an ability to get rid of distractions and focus on action that leads to positive results. They also surround themselves with people who challenge them. Jim Rohn, one of my favorite philosophers, has a saying that I love, “Don’t spend major time with minor people.” If you want to be a success, spend time with people who lift you up to greater heights. They are your wingmen. Folks who have the courage and compassion to tell it like it is. They won’t settle for your excuses, but they will also inspire you and give you hope.
THE QUESTION REMAINS THE SAME
How do you attract these type of people into your life?
You do it by giving your time, advice, and hope to those in need. In essence, you become a wingman to others and help them to fly to greater heights. You do the hard work to build your own character before expecting it of others. This is the core of leadership. When you do this, wingmen will naturally be attracted to you. They will feel comfortable coming to you for help and you will slowly but surely find yourself surrounded by people you trust. As I always say, never fly solo.
LEADERSHIP WINGTIP—leaders push themselves up, while pulling others up.
Discipline, hard work, and productive relationships are the lifts in life that overcome the parasite drags of unhealthy relationships, addictions and complacency. They are your tools to conquer mediocrity and live with courage. They will help you to win. Don’t leave them from your flight plan.
If you want to reach new heights in business and in life, make sure you do whatever it takes to maximize your lift and minimize your drag. Not only will you avoid the missiles, but you’ll hit your target as well!
NEW DAY, NEW JET
September 8th, 2009
The air conditioned briefing room felt as cold as ice as I waited for the arrival of my instructor. I was a bundle of nerves. One more ‘busted’ check ride would put me one flight away from washing out of Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). My dream of becoming a fighter pilot hung by a thread. I began to doubt myself.
What if I mess up again? What if I forget to call ‘gear down’ on final approach or fail to apply the proper spin recovery procedures? I repeatedly chair flew the maneuvers over and over and knew what needed to be done but kept re-playing the previous flights I failed in my head. I second guessed myself and my confidence dwindled. The sweat poured down my back.
In walked the instructor who would decide my fate, Major Jerry Free. A former F-4 fighter pilot who had little tolerance for mediocrity and laziness, he stood 6’3 with buzz cut hair and shiny boots. I was intimidated to say the least.
Not knowing what to expect, I stood at attention, braced myself, and saluted smartly.
He saluted back, looked me in the eyes, and reached over to shake my hand. “Ok, Waldo – it’s a new day, new jet! Are you ready to pass this flight, or what?”
He smiled.
Suddenly, the energy of the room shifted and I instantly felt more confident. All the stress and anxiety I had bottled up exploded out of me like a bullet. My mind became clearer as I thought to myself, “I can do this. Today, I’m going to fly like an eagle.” Major Free believed in me.
New Day, New Jet. Wow! I never heard that expression before. But somehow, those four words and the man who spoke them instantly changed my attitude from Fear to Focus…from anxiety to action. I was ready to fly.
Some of you may be facing similar predicaments in your life that are testing your resolve, skill, and focus. Perhaps you are experiencing financial challenges or are having concerns at work as your company and clients adapt to our volatile economy. Missed sales quotas, budget cuts, and lost customers plague us. No mission is ever perfect, and neither are we.
We’re all human and have our limits. But sometimes, when we’re stuck and full of doubt, we underestimate our power to overcome adversity and perform at our best. We focus on our past failures and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel of success because our vision is darkened by our fear of future failure. We pull back the throttle of performance instead of pushing it up. In essence, we let our past define our future. This is the greatest challenge we face when dealing with adversity.
But I believe there is no reason for us not to live up to our potential each day and perform at our best. Fear and doubt are distractions that can de-motivate us and pull us off course. Don’t let yesterday’s failure define you. It’s how you respond that counts.
And while I do believe it’s critical for us to remain positive in tough times, no amount of motivation is going to replace the fundamentals of hard work and preparation. You have a job to do. You have the aircraft and are ultimately in control of your own jet. The question is: Are you better prepared to fly today than you were yesterday?
Success begins with self trust.
As you strap into your jet each day and conduct a pre-flight ‘attitude check’, ask yourself:
You can’t philosophize your way to success. The world (and your customers) are growing tired of rhetoric and philosophy. Today, we need performers who can get the job done.
But sometimes, no matter how much you prepare, it’s impossible to break the performance barrier on your own. So here’s the next and most important question you should ask when fear and doubt hold you back from flying your jet: Who are the wingmen in my life I can call on to help me fly?
Winners Never Fly Solo.
Wingmen inspire us. Wingmen give us hope and lend a “helping wing.” Wingmen reflect our greatness back at us and help us release the brakes holding us back from success as we face each new day with courage. They don’t fly our jet for us but rather give us confidence in our own abilities. They alter our mindset from “I can’t” or “I won’t”, to “I can” and “I will.”
My challenge to you is not to be inhibited from calling out to your wingmen for some encouragement when you’re not quite up to that tough mission. Ask for help. Be vulnerable. We’re all taking hits. Today it might be you. Tomorrow it might be them.
But don’t forget to be a wingman to others, as well. Keep an eye out for your colleagues who are struggling and who might benefit from a little lift as they prepare for that job interview or big sales presentation. Like Major Free, be a shining light and inspire them to realize their fullest potential.
In business and life, yesterday’s clouds can block us from seeing today’s blue skies. Let us not forget that each day is a new day and we’re blessed to have a jet to fly.
In the end, I passed my flight with Major Free because he made me realize that I was good enough to fly.
You are good enough. You’ve got wings. And you’ve got wingmen.
It’s a new day, new jet. Now go and fly!
Never Fly Solo!
