Elevate Your Leadership

Susan Kilrain is an American aerospace engineer, former United States Navy officer, and a former NASA astronaut. She is the youngest person to pilot a Space Shuttle. She has flown more than 3,000 hours and among her merits she was awarded with the Defense Superior Service Medal.

SHOW SUMMARY

Join host Bob Pizzini in an inspiring conversation with NASA astronaut Susan Kilrain, where she shares her extraordinary journey from a childhood fascination with flying to becoming one of the few women to pilot the Space Shuttle. Susan’s remarkable career, from aeronautical engineering to Navy test pilot to two space shuttle missions, reflects her determination to defy barriers and achieve her dreams. Discover her experiences in space, the challenges she overcame, and her inspiring insights on leadership, resilience, and pursuing one’s passions.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Susan Kilrain’s childhood fascination with airplanes and her journey from obtaining a private pilot’s license to becoming an astronaut.
• Overcoming gender barriers and challenges in a male-dominated field as a Navy test pilot and space shuttle pilot.
• Her experiences in orbit, including missions aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia and the challenges faced during spaceflight.
• Balancing a family life with a demanding career, making tough decisions, and transitioning to diverse post-astronaut roles.

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QUOTES

• “I didn’t have any apprehension about being an astronaut and piloting the space shuttle. It was what I wanted to do.”
• “Flying in space, you know, if you could turn all the noise off from the shuttle, it would be completely quiet, dead silent. You don’t feel anything. It’s just weightlessness.”
• “Keeping the family together ultimately was the right decision, but everybody does it differently.”
• “It’s good being on this side of my kids. They don’t need me very much anymore.”

Get to know more about Susan Kilrain.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-still-kilrain-ba527734/

ABOUT ROBERT

Robert is a #1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, Award-Winning CEO, and above all, a Leadership Coach by heart. Join Robert and together your will lead with confidence, unify your team, and expand your comfort zone.

Where to find Robert.

Website: https://robertpizzini.com/

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-your-leadership/id1547181480

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqx9fuoZnq0–c1ttdckwLg

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Rear Admiral Paul Becker is a retired Naval Intelligence Officer with 30 years of experience in the intelligence community. He is the CEO of the Becker T3 Group and a professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. He has received numerous awards for his service, including the National Intelligence Community and Department of Defense’s Distinguished Service Medals.

Retired Admiral Paul Becker discusses the importance of leadership and introduces his T3 framework: teamwork, tone, and tenacity. He emphasizes the role of leaders in taking risks and establishing relationships to build trust and loyalty within teams. He also highlights the value of lifelong learning and provides examples of leadership from various fields.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Leadership involves taking risks and doing things differently.
• Building trust and loyalty through relationships is crucial for effective leadership.
• Lifelong learning is essential for leadership development.
• Examples of leadership can be found in various fields, including military, business, and entertainment.

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QUOTES

• “Leadership is a process of getting a group of people to achieve a common goal.”
• “Trust and loyalty are the byproducts of relationships.”
• “Leadership is about progress, not perfection.”
• “Simplicity is the height of sophistication.”
• “There are leadership examples to motivate and inspire you every day.”

About Robert:

Robert is a #1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, Award-Winning CEO, and above all, a Leadership Coach by heart. Join Robert and together you will lead with confidence, unify your team, and expand your comfort zone.

Where to find Robert:

Website – https://robertpizzini.com/

Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-your-leadership/id1547181480

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqx9fuoZnq0–c1ttdckwLg 

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Alan Mack, US Army, Chief Warrant Officer Five — Retired, a native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, served over 35 years in the US Army before retiring in 2016. His military career included 17 years in Army Special Operations. His awards include the Legion of Merit, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 3 Bronze Stars, 10 Air Medals (one with Valor Device), and a Combat Action Badge. Additionally, he logged more than 6700 flying hours during his tenure. During Operations Desert Shield and Storm, Mack participated as a CH-47D Chinook pilot. He then flew MH-47s while assigned to the 160th SOAR, the Army’s only Special Operations Aviation Regiment. His crew was one of the first into Afghanistan and the first into Mazar-iSharif as part of America’s Response to the attacks on 9/11. His cargo, a 5th Special Forces ‘A’ Team (ODA 595), aka ‘the Horse Soldiers,’ helped topple the Taliban, capture the country’s capital, and reclaim possession of the US Embassy. As a Special Operations Flight Leader participating in special operations worldwide in support of the Global War on Terror, Mack collaborated with Army Rangers, Delta Force, Special Forces, Navy SEALS, assorted Special Operations Units, and Other Government agencies.

In this episode of Elevate Your Leadership, Robert Pizzini is joined by Alan C. Mack, to share his unique experiences and insights from his 35-year military career. He discusses growing up in New Hampshire, his journey to becoming a helicopter pilot, and his deployments to Afghanistan and other parts of the world. He also talks about the challenges and rewards of serving in Army Special Operations and the importance of teamwork and trust in high-stakes situations. Mack shares a touching story about the significance of a wedding ring during a mission and how it influenced his decision to never carry anything valuable while on duty. He also mentions his upcoming book, which will focus on the perspectives of crew chiefs and flight medics in the military.

Learn about all of these and more nuggets of insight in this latest episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast.

ELEVATING WISDOM

WHY ALAN LEFT THE MILITARY

“I figured I’m one of the only night stalkers that could write the book because of the way I left, and I’ll explain. When you leave a special operations unit, everybody hates you right? Doesn’t matter I did 17 years there and if I had just left, you know what guys? I’m gonna give up, I’m gonna retire, everybody hates you, they’re mad at you for leaving and I never understood that but it is what it is. But when my wife dies, they know I need a change of venue and they’re like “okay” and then the regimen takes care of me. It gets me up there to New York and they’ve been great.”

WHAT LEADERSHIP MEANS TO ALAN

“I call it the Tom Sawyer style of leadership. Okay, you know the story of Tom Sawyer where he’s given the job to paint a fence and wash it right? And he ends up pretending that he likes it and he gets all of the neighborhood kids to paint for him. What are you doing? Huh? I’m painting a fence. Can I do it? No and so that was my idea. The Tom Sawyer style of leadership. Get them to do what you want but they think it’s their idea” – Alan Mack

Get to know more about Alan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-c-mack-75b9a667/

Website: https://alancmack.com/

About Robert:

Robert is a #1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, Award-Winning CEO, and above all, a Leadership Coach by heart. Join Robert and together you will lead with confidence, unify your team, and expand your comfort zone.

Where to find Robert:

Website – https://robertpizzini.com/

Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-your-leadership/id1547181480

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqx9fuoZnq0–c1ttdckwLg 

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In this most sobering, yet fascinating episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast, Ukrainian Air Force Colonel Hennadiy Kovalenko (Colonel H) discusses the current state of affairs regarding the war with Russia and the potential outcomes, including a total collapse of Russia. He has served Ukraine in uniform for 32 years and is highly experienced and educated. Colonel H discusses how President Putin was told that the Ukrainian people would welcome the invading Russian army with hugs, smiles, and flowers, and how this war really began in 2014 with the illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. He has been assigned to NATO ACT in the United States since 2019, and will return to fight in his homeland within weeks.

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In this episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast, Michelle Ellis Young, Chief Executive Officer of YWCA South Hampton Roads, discusses her leadership journey culminating in her current role serving people in need in the Hampton Roads community. Michelle shares how her upbringing in New Orleans LA helped shape who she is today. She tells a story of how the YWCA helped save a woman from an abusive relationship, ultimately helping her achieve nursing qualifications, independence, and a career in the medical field. Michelle’s energy is high, her demeanor is beyond pleasant, and she said that her flight experience at iFLY Virginia Beach instilled another layer of courage to do something that she did not think she would do.

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What is a Navy EOD Technician and what is it like to become one? Who was the father and founder of Navy EOD and Navy SEALS? In their book Unsung, Joseph Shaffer III and Dr. Paula Kapp Greene share their in-depth interviews with the dedicated men and women of the US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) community, who quietly undertake some of the most dangerous missions performed by members of the American military. This first-person narrative incorporates the perspectives of the family members of these brave men and women, revealing the raw emotion of such a demanding military profession. I center my discussion on chapter three, A Brief History, and chapter eight, Leaders and Leadership. You can purchase this most revealing book on Amazon at UNSUNG: Quiet Voices of the US Navy’s EOD Warriors and Their Families: Shaffer III, Joseph E., Greene, Dr. Paula Kapp: 9798358155909: Amazon.com: Books

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In this episode of The Elevate Your Leadership Podcast, Holly Duckworth defines mindfulness as we discuss what it means to leaders at work, and at home. Hallmark Holly (explained in this episode) tells us how Google uses mindfulness to allow a moment for arrival at the beginning of meetings and how you can use the same technique to begin any event throughout your day. She shows us how mindfulness can be one of your superpowers. Her positive outlook is demonstrated as she discusses live lines vs deadlines and life list vs bucket list.

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In this episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast, NASA Astronaut Susan Kilrain and I discuss her life and career. Commander Susan Kilrain is a renowned astronaut, a distinguished navy test pilot and aerospace engineer, and a world traveler. She is the youngest person, and one of only three women, to pilot the space shuttle. She served twenty years in the navy paving the way for women. She has flown more than 3,000 flight hours in over 30 different aircraft, and she was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal. CDR Kilrain flew as pilot of STS-83 and STS-94, both in 1997, onboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, which disintegrated as it reentered the atmosphere over Texas and Louisiana, on February 1st, 2003, killing all seven astronauts on board. She has spent more than 20 days in space. Prior to joining the Navy, Susan was a wind tunnel project officer at Lockheed Corporation and earned her master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Susan and her husband, retired SEAL Vice Admiral Colin Kilrain are raising their four children in Virginia. She is a consultant and motivational speaker, specializing in encouraging young women and underprivileged teens to excel in STEM careers. She has been a board member for private companies, universities, and non-profits, and is currently a Venture Partner with New North Ventures.

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Why do people come to work at your organization? What is personal vested interest (PVI) and do you know the PVI of those you lead? In this episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast, Chad Brown and I discuss organizational leadership to include culture, ego, fulfillment on and off the job, and how your priorities are where you spend your time and money. Chad Brown is a leadership engagement expert. He coaches executives and entrepreneurs in the art and science of leadership for themselves, their teams, and clients to create new, unprecedented results and experience fulfillment in their work.

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What is hyperbaric oxygen and what can this medicinal treatment do for you? In this episode, Cara Mae Melton and I discuss the use of hyperbaric oxygen to heal wounds, reduce inflammation, improve sleep, and even counter the effects of aging. Cara Mae Melton is a dynamic executive who has been applying expertise in business oversight, operations and development over the last 18 years for early stage and start up organizations. She is an innovator and entrepreneur focused on solving consumer and business problems through the creation and delivery of inventive products and solutions.

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