Naval Flight Training and Organizational Leadership

Before becoming president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela spent twenty-seven years in prison. Reflecting on this crucible, he stated, “The cell is an ideal place to know yourself. People tend to measure themselves by external accomplishments, but jail allows a person to focus on internal ones.” A crucible is “a transformative experience through which an individual comes to a new or an altered sense of identity.” For me, the crucible of naval flight training expanded my understanding of organizational leadership. In addition to learning the importance of the operations process, the experience taught me valuable lessons on visualization, procedures, stewardship, time management, decision-making, accountability, and rewards. It also taught me about the benefits of resilience, endurance, teamwork, confidence, accountability, rewards, and prayer.