Leading an aircraft carrier with a 5,000 person crew is like running an entire city. The flight deck is dangerous, the number of moving parts is countless, the stakes are high. and the magnitude of responsibility is unparalleled. 

How do you deal with all this and still manage to be an approachable leader with the respect and loyalty of your crew? Why is delegation THE key to success? 

In this episode, I’m joined by retired Navy captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Brett Crozier. He talks about his incredible career, his philosophy on leadership and what any leader can learn from running an aircraft carrier.

Never overreact. The truth is always in the third report. -Brett Crozier

Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode 

- The curse of the founder: Delegation is key to leadership efficiency, but why do so many leaders struggle to offload certain responsibilities? 

- How to be an approachable leader: The temperament of a leader has a huge effect on the culture, how do we keep our emotions in check? 

- The right way to process information: We live in a world of unfiltered information and rushes to judgment. How do we manage this as leaders?

For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://goo.gl/3piJkw. To learn more about Craig Picken and the NorthStar Group, visit http://northstaresg.com/.

Guest Bio 

Brett Elliott Crozier is a retired US Navy captain and the author of “Surf When You Can: Lessons in Life, Loyalty, and Leadership from a Maverick Navy Captain”. He embarked on a thirty-year career in the Navy, flying dozens of combat missions over Iraq and leading at the highest levels of operational command. He served as the commanding officer of a combat F/A-18 strike fighter squadron, the world’s largest and most advanced communications ship, and ultimately the USS Theodore Roosevelt before retiring from the Navy in 2022.

Learn More About Your Host:

Co-founder and Managing Partner for Northstar Group, Craig is focused on recruiting senior level leadership, sales and operations executives for some of the most prominent companies in the aviation and aerospace industry. Clients include well known aircraft OEM’s, aircraft operators, leasing / financial organizations, and Maintenance / Repair / Overhaul (MRO) providers. 

Since 2009 Craig has personally concluded more than 150 executive searches in a variety of disciplines. As the only executive recruiter who has flown airplanes, sold airplanes AND run a business, Craig is uniquely positioned to build deep, lasting relationships with both executives and the boards and stakeholders they serve. This allows him to use a detailed, disciplined process that does more than pair the ideal candidate with the perfect opportunity, and hit the business goals of the companies he serves.

Check out this episode on our Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to download the Apple Podcasts app and leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!