I’ve been getting countless e-mails and newsletters this past week from coaches and consultants capitalizing on the downturn in the market.

Their message is fear based.  “The dow is down again, it’s scary out there, layoffs are rampant!”  Then they offer a $1,995 weekend seminar on wealth building or business growth that will solve all of your problems.  These “compassionate coaches” become opportunistic vultures praying on the carcass of your fear.

Give me a break!

Here’s my take on it wingmen - Strap in, focus your radar, and hold on. Its time to push it up! These adverse times separate the top guns from the lazy bums; the philosophers from the performers; and those with attitude from those with aptitude.

If you want to dodge the missiles and break the fear barrier holding you back from succeeding in these tough times,

• Stop dwelling and start doing.
• Stop groaning and start giving.
• Stop whining and start winning.

Pretty simple if you ask me.  Get back to the fundamentals of hard work, focus, discipline, accountability, and most of all, service.

Look, its times like these where your character will be tested. The missiles are being launched.  Whether or not you get shot down is entirely up to you. But I would challenge you to dismiss the naysayers on TV and in the break room and solicit the “YaySayers.” Jettison the wingnuts that are strangling your ability to take off in life and find your trusted partners – your wingmen – who will elevate your spirit and encourage you to take action.

Be thankful for the blessing you have today. Write them down. Then, go out and find somebody who is in the dungeon of their life, reach in, lend a wing, and pull them out.

Finally, be a comrade of courage, not a lightening rod of fear. Be the type of person others can come to for help when they are down on luck and strangled by fear. Courage is contagious. And so is performance. When you give courage, it may be all someone needs to take the action that can help them release their brakes and take off.

We’re all in a difficult time right now but please have faith that the pendulum will swing and the economy will improve. Stay focused and keep working.  The weather will get better.

Today, be open to receive a May Day call which says I Need Help. Lend your wing. Make a difference in any way you can not just at work, but in your personal life. It’s how we’ll survive these tough times. This is the wingman’s call to action.  It’s your call to action. I hope you’ll take it.

Winners Never Fly Solo!

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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.

As the F-16 blasts through the sky, there is an “enemy” of  lift that must be overcome known as drag. There are two kinds of drag – Induced and Parasite. Induced drag is a “good drag’ in that it is a bi-product of lift and is necessary for flight. Parasite drag is not helpful as 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 fuel tanks.

Ok - here’s the big picture.  In order to fly, a jet’s lift must exceed drag. The less drag, the easier it flies.

Let’s look at this in fighter combat. When evading missiles or engaging another fighter, one of the first things you must do is 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, 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 ‘parasites’ do you have dragging you down and stopping you from reaching new heights in your life?  Do you find yourself unable to avoid life’s the missiles because you have too much weighing you down?

Parasites are the negative relationships that sap your energy and time. They are also the fears, doubts, mental baggage, 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.

Do you have any of that “hanging around?”

We all have parasite drag in our life and we know it.  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 parasites 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 that sugar fix you seem to always crave.  Or maybe it’s a bad job that is bringing you down or a fear of failure that is 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.  If you want to be a success, spend time with people that 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.

So, 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.  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 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!

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COMMIT COMMIT!

December 21^st, 1998 – a brisk winter day in Saudi Arabia. I was stationed on my first combat deployment, flying missions enforcing the Iraqi southern no-fly zone.

I was scheduled to take off on only the fourth combat sortie of my career, inexperienced and quite nervous. It was a mission I’ll never forget.

I was flying that day with my flight lead Lt Col “Hos” Hyatt, the commander of the 79^th Fighter Squadron Tigers. Our “2 ship” of F-16’s were charged with “sanitizing” the airspace of any enemy aircraft that might be crossing the restricted area. It could have been a routine patrol – or not.

Suddenly, our radios blared with an urgent call from the radar ground controller, “Viper flight, you’ve got a MIG-23 150 miles off your nose headed south…hostile, hostile!”

This meant the MIG had crossed the no fly zone and was headed towards us and the fuel tankers we were in charge of protecting. A split second later, my headset erupted with a call from Hos.

“Viper flight, COMMIT, COMMIT!”

Almost unconsciously, I pushed up my throttle to afterburner and started to climb as I struggled to stay in perfect formation with Hos. There was no turning back. We were going after that MIG.

With those two words, “Commit, Commit,” my destiny was set in motion that day. No time to think – there was simply time to react. I was trained for that moment and my instantaneous choice was really quite clear: it was time to “commit.”

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It’s 7:00 pm on a warm and sunny day in Atlanta. It’s Memorial Day, 2007, and like many of you, I had a great time at a barbeque/pool party with some friends. We shared some laughs, good food, and relaxed. Life is good.

As citizens in the U.S. and abroad, it’s easy to forget those who have paid the ultimate price so that we can live free. We go about our lives and reap the benefits of the sweat and sacrifice of others. From the young soldier in the War of Independence, to the fighter pilot over Nazi Germany, to the infantrymen in Iraq, they were the ultimate wingmen who literally gave up their wings so that others could fly. Memorial Day gives us the opportunity to really be thankful for the blessings we have as a result of their service.

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“We’re each of us Angels, with only one wing, and we can only fly embracing each other”
Luciano de Crescenzo
It’s 25 April at 1:30 am and I just turned 39!

As I celebrate the start of my birthday, I can’t help but think about how awesome of a year it’s been for me. So many great victories and exciting opportunities that were a direct result of you…my wingmen! You’ve supported me, instructed me, and most of all, encouraged me. You gave me a wing when I needed it most. (special plug for mom, dad, and my twin brother Dave – yes…there are two Waldos!)

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When your squadron commander meets you at your jet, it’s normally not a good sign. “Waldo, we need to talk,” he said as he headed for the aircraft hangar. Had I messed up? Was I in trouble? I gulped. Was something wrong at home?

“Waldo, Sgt. Tyler told me what happened before you took off this afternoon, and I am not impressed.” In an instant I knew what he was referring to.

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A few weeks ago I lost a friend. Most of you don’t know him, and you never will.

His name was Ivan Weinstock. And he was a wingman.

Ivan was a consultant to OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety) and was instrumental in having me become a columnist for the magazine. I met him and his wife Sheila at the 2005 Incentive Marketing Association (IMA) Conference. An Air Force veteran, Ivan was inspired by my wingman message of trust and could relate to it. But it was actually Ivan who inspired me. You see, Ivan epitomized everything about being a wingman, and his countless friends will tell you so.

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“Survival is when you’re focused on the competition.
Winning is when you’re focused on the customer!”
Waldo Waldman

Many of you have heard me emphasize that no fighter pilot ever flies a combat mission solo. We always fly as a team – with our wingmen. It’s impossible to win solo because the missions are very complex and change so rapidly. As a unified team, we assign roles and responsibilities to each member of the formation, train accordingly, and finally – hold each other accountable!

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Picture this – You’re on a combat mission in the no-fly zone in southern Iraq at 19,000 feet. Your wingman is 2 miles away directly to your left. Suddenly, you hear him scream over the radio. “Break Right, Break Right! Missile launch your 6 O’clock!!”

Instinctively, you crank the stick to the right, bank the aircraft 90 degrees, and pull back as hard as you can as the g forces compress you back into the seat. You lower the nose, go to afterburner, and dispense chaff to break the radar lock. Luckily for you, it runs out of energy and detonates 1,000 feet from your. You survived!

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In the world of the fighter pilot, being a wingman means you’re trusted to go to battle…it means you’re mission ready. It’s a position of honor that incurs tremendous responsibility and sacrifice, but it also comes with incredible rewards. You have to earn the right to be a wingman, and it’s a bi-product of sacrifice and many hours of hard work.

Being a wingman in business and life also has to be earned. It means you are someone others can count on to get the job done. It means you’re prepared, responsible, compassionate, and disciplined. When you’re a wingman, you are someone others can come to and ask for help. This also incurs great responsibility and is a position that should not be taken lightly. Nonetheless, it too has tremendous rewards.

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