593: Kim "Killer Chick" Campbell - Contingency Planning, Responding to Adversity, Earning Trust & Respect, Flying in the Face of Fear, and How To Run a Debrief

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Jul 28, 2024

Kim Campbell, a retired Air Force Colonel, shares her compelling journey from rejection to becoming a fighter pilot. She emphasizes the importance of contingency planning and preparation, particularly in crisis situations. Kim recalls a poignant experience of writing letters to loved ones during the Iraq War, highlighting vulnerability in leadership. She also discusses the critical role of debriefing to foster trust and growth within teams, and shares insights on handling fear and making choices under pressure, advocating for thoughtful leadership.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

Overcoming Rejection: A Journey to Resilience

03:04 • 14min

Letters to Remember

16:42 • 7min

Confronting Fear in Crisis

23:34 • 18min

The Power of Debriefing in Leadership

41:59 • 8min

The Vital Framework: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate

49:56 • 2min

Choosing Responses: Leadership Insights

52:15 • 12min

Read our book, The Score That Matters https://amzn.to/3XxHi7p

Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com

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Episode #593: Kim Campbell - Contingency Planning, Responding to Adversity, Earning Trust & Respect, Flying in the Face of Fear, and How To Run a Debrief

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate - "Aviate, navigate, communicate" is a fundamental principle in aviation that pilots learn early in flight training. It's a priority order that helps pilots stay focused and in control, even when they're under pressure or distracted:
- Aviate: Keep the plane flying
- Navigate: Figure out where you are and where you're going
- Communicate: Talk to air traffic control (ATC) or someone else as needed
On March 20, 2003, Kim wrote letters to her loved ones in case she died in battle.
Prepare, practice, and plan for contingencies. My college football coach, the late great, Terry Hoeppner used to always say, have a plan, work the plan, plan for the unexpected. As leaders, it’s on us to prepare, practice, and plan for contingencies. You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready.
I love the way Kim’s dad helped support her dream to be a fighter pilot. If you want to do this, you have to put in the work. Run hills, and do pull-ups every time you go to the bathroom. He didn’t just tell her you can do whatever you want… He created opportunities for Kim to do the necessary work to achieve what she wanted.
Kim’s telling of the story of how she was hit and how she responded. An amazing example of responding in the face of fear, dealing with adversity in a calm, poised manner, and making a tough decision. Kim’s training and her attitude is what set her apart and saved her life.
Response to Rejection: Initially Kim was rejected by the Air Force Academy because of a low SAT score. In response, instead of quitting and moving on, she wrote a letter to them every week stating why they should accept her… Which they eventually did.
Dealing with fear: What's most important is what we do in the face of fear. We can't freeze. We must take action.
The Debrief:
- Check your rank and ego at the door.
- Write all the objectives down. Next to each one, grade it a plus or a minus. Find the root causes of each mistake.
- What lessons can we learn from our mistakes?
- What will we change for our next mission based on what we learned?
- Share lessons learned beyond that room.
Johnny Bravo - Be humble, approachable, and credible. That's how you earn trust and respect and inspire others to follow.