Flight departments are stretched thin.
Aviation Directors spend more time fighting fires than leading.
Organizations are going through massive shifts in culture and reporting structure.
When Mike and I looked at this landscape, we knew something was missing. A resource needed to be created. So we split the workload in half and rolled up our sleeves.
Two years later, we realized we'd made a fundamental mistake…a leadership mistake.
Today Mike Nichols joins us to share the genesis of The Business Aviation Book: Leading Operational Excellence, the shift that unlocked the completion of the book, and how we aimed the book at the key challenges facing modern flight departments.
What You'll Discover in This Episode
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The real reason aviation directors spend their days firefighting instead of leading…and why even the largest flight departments are structured almost to prevent great leadership
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The most limiting mindset a flight department leader can have… and the broader framework the industry desperately needs to adopt
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Why Mike walked away from a Senior VP role he loved at the peak of his career…and the uncomfortable question he asked himself that drove him to take drastic action
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Why the "Chairman's Chariot" era is over… and what it means for every flight department leader who still thinks job security comes from the corner office upstairs
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The uncomfortable truth about how most Aviation Directors got their role…and how this directly leads to the leadership crisis we're facing
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How the industry's most important annual leadership conference can deliver lots of inspiration, yet very little change…and what actually has to happen for leadership development to stick
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Why Mike Nichols believes some flight departments should close…and how the role of some flight departments may radically shift in the coming years
Guest Bio
Mike Nichols (CAM, CAE, IOM) is the founder of Flieger Strategies, a consulting company serving non-profit organizations, private/business aviation companies, and aircraft owners/operators. Flieger's primary client is the Piper M-Class Owners & Pilots Association (PMOPA) and the PMOPA Safety & Education Foundation where Mike serves as CEO. Nichols was a senior executive at National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) where he worked for 18 years. During his tenure at NBAA, Nichols advocated for the business aviation industry on FAA rule making committees, effectively preventing the implementation of onerous regulations while facilitating those that enhance safety and operations (among many other accomplishments). He is also an active instrument-rated private pilot and owns a Grumman Tiger aircraft. Connect with Mike on LinkedIn.
About Your Host
Dr. Chris Broyhill is the industry's most respected authority on business aviation compensation. An industry veteran with over 43 years of aviation experience, Dr. Broyhill has led several scientific research projects on personnel retention, compensation, and leadership for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) since 2017.
Dr. Chris holds a Ph.D. in Aviation and has published two books that feature the results of his work. He's also an outstanding graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, an NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Fellow, and a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).
Resources
Get the Data, Win the Negotiation, Stay in the Business You Love. To get your compensation report, visit AirCompCalculator.com. We have a range of options for different scenarios and budgets, from validating a specific job offer, to packages for entire departments.
Check out this episode on our website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more leaders in business aviation. Thank you!
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