Former U.S. Army Black Hawk Pilot Elizabeth McCormick unpacks what it means to “fly first” in life—owning your mindset, preparation, and standards when it counts. Tim and Elizabeth share how compartmentalization, rigorous rehearsal, and relational trust helped her lead under pressure and show up even while hurt. They also explore the power of the copilot, as well as hiring before onboarding and raising team standards without losing heart.
Elizabeth McCormick is a former U.S. Army Black Hawk Pilot who flew command and control, VIP, and military intelligence missions as one of the fewer than 1% of women military pilots at the time.
In this episode, Tim and Elizabeth discuss:
(1:28) Speaking Style & Learning from Comedians
(2:43) Onstage Presence & Adapting to Audiences
(4:20) Soar to Success & Flying a Helicopter
(5:34) Resilience, Playing Hurt, and Compartmentalization
(9:07) Flight School, Preparation, and Claustrophobia
(12:54) Assignments & Military Missions
(15:43) Leadership Evolution & Grit
(18:06) Challenges in Aviation & Preparation
(21:58) Being a Pioneer & Overcoming Obstacles
(23:21) Decision vs. Discovery in Leadership
(25:22) Engaging Audiences & Intuition
(29:38) Old-Fashioned vs. Modern Leadership
(38:41) Onboarding, Hiring, and Workplace Excellence
(41:17) How to Work with Elizabeth & Speaking Topics
(43:47) Movie Casting & Final Thoughts
(46:31) Podcast Outro & Call to Action
Elizabeth McCormick is a former U.S. Army Black Hawk Pilot who flew command and control, VIP, and military intelligence missions as one of the fewer than 1% of women military pilots at the time. After her military service, she became a highly sought-after keynote speaker, delivering 100+ events a year for global companies and organizations. Elizabeth is known for her engaging style, where she blends humor, interactive experiences, and real-world lessons from aviation to teach leadership, resilience, and personal accountability. She is also the author of several books, including Fly First, Lead Yourself, and continues to inspire audiences to take the pilot seat in their own lives.
Connect with Elizabeth:
Elizabeth's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pilotspeaker
Elizabeth's YouTube: youtube.com/@PilotSpeaker/videos
Elizabeth's Website: yourinspirationalspeaker.com