Topgun

By placing six IMAX-quality cameras inside the cockpits of F-18 fighter jets, Tom Cruise and the producers of Top Gun Maverick guarantee to give audiences ...

Clarity is at the heart of a mission brief. The debrief happens after a mission, while a mission briefing occurs before the planes take to the skies. For example, if the goal is to destroy a target, then if someone gets separated, the rest of the team knows to advance to the target. The briefing is a skill that takes practice to sharpen. It's inspiring to see a team of people committed to constant and never-ending improvement and who are all aligned toward achieving their fullest potential. His assignment was to deliver a four-hour presentation from memory--no notes or reading from slides. Debriefs are the hallmark of a successful mission. Every person on the flight team must be crystal clear on the objective. When I was invited as a guest speaker to address pilots at the Weapons and Tactics Instructor course in Yuma, Arizona, I was impressed with the variety of books they read beyond required textbooks. By acknowledging their own mistakes, leaders give tacit permission to the rest of the team to identify those areas where they could have performed better. And I've been invited to speak to U.S. Navy and Marine Corps fighter pilots who are so good at what they do that they've been chosen to teach other aviators. And leaders are readers.