Barry Chats to Red Arrows Synchro Pair Pilot Steve Johnson About Leadership and Performance Teams

Summary

In this episode of the Just Great People podcast, Barry Eustance interviews Steve Johnson, a former Red Arrow and current Head of Training at Ultimate High.

They discuss the dynamics of high-performance teams, the importance of character, mutual trust, and the ability to give and receive constructive criticism.

Steve shares insights from his aviation career, emphasising how these principles apply not only in aviation but across various sectors. 

The conversation highlights the significance of leadership qualities such as integrity, resilience, and the ability to foster teamwork.

Takeaways

• Mutual Trust is the glue that holds a team together.
• Character is essential for high performance teams.
• The ability to take and receive criticism is crucial.
• Leadership is more visionary than management.
• Integrity and honesty are key in leadership.
• You can't really accept continuing errors in a team.
• Fighter pilots have a bit of arrogance, but they care about their teams.
• You need to trust your team to do their job effectively.
• Leadership skills can be learned, but a base level is needed.
• Focus on building a team with like-minded individuals.

Titles

• Flying High: Lessons from the Red Arrows
• The Art of Teamwork in Aviation

Sound Bites

• "Character is essential for high performance teams."
• "Integrity and honesty are key in leadership."
• "Leadership is more ‘visionary’ than ‘management’."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to High Performance Teams

03:04 Steve Johnson's Aviation Journey

05:10 The Selection Process for the Red Arrows

07:22 Building Trust and Accountability

08:15 Leadership Dynamics in High-Performance Teams

10:38 The Synchro Pair Experience

13:02 Teamwork and Mutual Trust

15:09 Lessons from the Red Arrows

17:35 Leadership Skills and Development

19:46 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Useful Links

The Sixsess Consultancy’s Training Courses

https://sixsess.org/training/

The Sixsess Consultancy’s About Page

https://sixsess.org/about-us/

The Just Great People YouTube Playlist
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1mLL4YkJ9LEUPsjaZwBLAjoR-h8YEXpu

Barry Eustance’s LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-eustance/

 Steve Johnson’s Profile
https://www.ultimatehigh.co.uk/our-pilots/#Steve

The Red Arrows - A Quiver of Silver (BBC Documentary 1989 in which Steve Johnson features)

https://youtu.be/PHhARHMmvMQ?si=vOO0NdpnZd_etNy6

Ultimate High’s Website (Steve Johnson is Head of Training at Ultimate High)
https://www.ultimatehigh.co.uk/
 

Keywords

High performance teams, aviation, leadership, teamwork, character, resilience, mutual trust, constructive criticism, team dynamics, Steve Johnson, Just Great People podcast, The Sixsess Consultancy, Red Arrows, leadership integrity, Ultimate High, aerobatics, Guy Martin

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Kindest regards

Barry