“From Fighter Jet to Just Culture: What Business Leaders Still Don’t Get” | Mandy Hickson
If fighter pilots can build a culture where mistakes are openly shared to save lives, why do so many business leaders still hide errors and destroy trust?
Episode Summary
Why “success” for Mandy isn’t rank or medals, but creating impact and inspiring others.
How a single cadet saying “I want to be a pilot like you” shifted her entire career path.
What it means to chase an “impossible dream” when women weren’t even allowed to be pilots.
The brutal truth of failing the aptitude tests—twice—and what real leadership looks like when a middle manager challenges the system.
Why resilience sometimes means taking sideways steps, not straight lines.
How cognitive diversity (her course mates teaching her battle turns on bicycles) saved her career.
Why trust is built when teammates act selflessly, even at personal cost.
How aviation moved from blame culture, to no-blame, to “Just Culture”—and why your business needs the same maturity.
About Mandy Hickson
Mandy Hickson joined the RAF in 1994, became the first woman on the frontline to fly the Tornado GR4, and served on three tours of duty. Today she is a sought-after speaker, aviation ambassador, and author of An Officer, Not a Gentleman and An Officer and Her Gentleman. She translates lessons from combat and cockpit into frameworks for trust, culture, and leadership that elite organizations worldwide rely on.
Mandy Hickson: MandyHickson.com | An Officer, Not a Gentleman
Dov Baron: DovBaron.com
The Big Questions We Tackle
Are you learning in the way that works for you—or just the way you’ve been told?
How much trust have you really built in your team? Would they sacrifice their own advancement for you?
What happens to organizations that confuse “no blame” with “no accountability”?
Can business leaders build the same level of trust as fighter pilots who go to war together?
Why This Matters for Leaders
Every organization says they want trust and accountability. Very few know how to build it. Mandy’s journey proves that “Just Culture” is not theory—it’s life or death in aviation, and it’s the missing link in your boardroom.
Call to Action
If this conversation forces you to rethink leadership:
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