Travels from Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Waldo Waldman's speaking fee falls within range: $30,000 to $50,000
Council of Peers Award for Excellence (CPAE) Speaker Hall of Fame recipient, Waldo Waldman is a motivational keynote speaker and leadership consultant. A former fighter pilot who uses real world business experience, Waldman helps turn teams into accountable, trustworthy, and high performance partners for success. Waldman has been voted one of the Top Speakers in the World by Meetings & Conventions Magazine.
Audiences connect strongly with Waldman, but not just because of his impressive background. Waldman speaks with an infectious passion for helping others; he speaks from the heart.
Waldman’s high energy as a motivational keynote speaker has earned him the honor of being ranked one of the Top 40 under 40 Business Leaders in Georgia. He has been featured on several media outlets, including Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Success Magazine, Inc. Magazine, Fox & Friends, Investor’s Business Daily, The Harvard Business Review, CNBC, Entrepreneur Magazine, and MSNBC.
Waldman is the President and founder of the Wingman Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is the raise awareness and funds for soldiers, veterans, and their families.
Known as “The Wingman,” Lt Col (ret.) Waldo Waldman is the author of National Bestseller Never Fly Solo. He helps organizations build collaborative cultures of trust, courage and commitment in order to adapt to change, break performance barriers, and overcome adversity.
Decorated Fighter Pilot. New York Times Bestselling Author. Hall of Fame Speaker. In addition to his time in the military, Waldo has real world corporate sales experience and is an expert on change management and resilience – having overcome a fear of heights and claustrophobia to achieve his dream of becoming a fighter pilot.
His compelling stories and tactics on overcoming adversity, performing under pressure and servant-based leadership are extremely relevant to organizations who are going through disruptive change and seeking to build a “One Team, One Mission” culture of excellence and trust.
Waldo is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and also holds an MBA with a focus on Organizational Behavior. He is an inductee into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame, and is the founder of The Wingman Foundation whose mission is to build funds and awareness for veterans and their families in need. He has been featured on CNN, Fox News, Inc. Magazine, and The Harvard Business Review, and his clients include Verizon, American Express, GE, The Denver Broncos, ExxonMobil, New York Life, Siemens, Merck, and dozens of national associations.
In the first part of this speech, Waldo Waldman starts by saying, “Wing tip #1 is: push it up! That commitment, that drive that you have. Wing tip #2 is about being mission ready”.
He continues by talking about the correlation between what he learned while flying in combat and what he learned as a salesman. “What I learned is that you never sell by the seat of your pants. You gotta prepare…because yesterday’s intel is no longer good today. We’ve gotta be relevant, don’t we?”
In the next part of the video, Waldman talks about a philosophy he learned in the military. “The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in battle”. This stresses the importance of having a contingency plan in place to try to account for all possible outcomes. Waldman concludes by saying, “Your customer commands that you prepare, they don’t just demand it”.
In his popular program “Never Fly Solo!,” Waldo Waldman shares with the audience his lifelong battle with claustrophobia and his fear of heights.
He customizes his programs by using business analogies and personal stories alongside dramatic jet fighter video footage and inspirational music. Waldman’s program helps attendees to prepare diligently for every mission, face challenges and changes with courage, build more meaningful relationships, and maximize their potential in both business and life.
Waldman shows businesspeople and fighter pilots how three powerful steps can lead to success in highly competitive environments. When these steps are combined, personal and organizational effectiveness skyrocket. He reminds his audiences that the key to building and sustaining relationships is mutual trust. When connecting with people on a human and emotional level, businesses gain a reputation as a trusted resource, which is one of the most important traits to have.
NEVER FLY SOLO ®
Waldo’s signature keynote on teamwork, courage, and preparation to break performance barriers and win
Flying solo? You might think so. But take a good look around. You have support staff, managers, and suppliers. And you have colleagues, consultants, and significant others. By building trust in your partners, you can overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and achieve success. When you have wingmen, there is no mission you can’t complete!
Through captivating stories, business lessons, and real-world video, Waldo will take your team on an unforgettable journey of high performance and excellence in extremely competitive and demanding environments.
Be inspired to take to the skies knowing that you have Wingmen to help you face challenges and change with courage while maximizing potential in all aspects of life.
Key Takeaways: - Promote Open Communication, Integrity, and Trust - Develop a Collaborative Culture of Teamwork and Mutual Support - Leverage Preparation to Build Confidence - Transform Relationships into Revenue Convert Fear into Action - Lead with Courage, Conviction, and Compassion
Wingman Leadership®
High energy and interactive program on building a collaborative culture of trust, accountability, mutual support, & excellence.
The key to building a high-performing organization that encourages innovative thinking, adaptability to change, effective communication, and a commitment to excellence lies with its leadership.
In this high-energy program, Waldo highlights the difference between managing others and leading them to be responsible, empowered and confident wingmen. Waldo will discuss proven leadership principals based on his experience as an AF Academy graduate, decorated fighter pilot, and seasoned businessman.
The program will: - Instill a “One Team-One Mission” culture of team ownership so that every leader feels fully accountable for the success of the mission. - Share tools to motivate leaders and staff to collaborate more effectively, adapt to change, and face adversity and conflict with courage. - Provide tools for personal and professional growth that will give additional leverage for building high-performance teams.
Wingman Safety®
A keynote or half day seminar that focuses on building a courageous culture of operational excellence, safety, and trust.
In the world of the fighter pilot, complacency kills. A failure to adhere to standards, maintain discipline and follow procedures not only can cause aircraft mishaps, but it can also cost lives.
The same holds true on the factory floor or a dangerous worksite. Employees who lack attention to detail, focus, and discipline are prone to make mistakes that can impact safety, productivity, operational excellence…and lives.
Waldo will share proven leadership principals based on his experience as an Air Force safety officer and as a combat flight lead where his wingmen’s lives were on the line.
Following his program, the audience will learn peak performance leadership and safety enhancing tools based on three key concepts: - Commitment to Excellence – Everyone must know exactly what and who they are fighting for. They should emulate excellence on and off the job, and understand that their role is essential to safety, morale, and culture. - Values Based Culture – Integrity, accountability, mutual respect, and teamwork must serve as the foundation for all relationships. - Effective Communication – Leaders listen intently and communicate their safety vision with passion. They promote open two-way communication.
“Our decision to hire Waldo was the best choice we could have made. He customized a unique program tailored just for us by carefully blending examples from our own business, his military and personal business experience, great audio visual footage and powerful, practical ideas. Waldo was the perfect climax to our conference and his program was better than I could have even imagined.” Frank Marcus, General Sales Manager, Ernest & Julio Gallo Winery
“Your 2 days of speaking was of immense help to our sales teams. Not only was your presentation informative and real world, but you also captured everyone′s attention and peaked their motivation, two very direct benefits for our sales force and our company. You are a true professional!” Laura Marsh, Vice President, Marketing, LandAmerica Financial Group West
“Waldo, you were the highlight of our meeting! Thank you for taking the time to know our business inside and out. I am, without hesitation, proud to be your wingman!” Kaye McComas, Director of Recovery, Federated Department Stores
“Exciting, Challenging, Emotional, Entertaining and Thought-Provoking” are the first words that come to mind when describing your performance Waldo. The experience was simply “worth every penny”, and has given us our battle cry for 2008…”One Team, One Goal!” Jonathan O′Neill, Managing Director of Sales, Hilton Grand Vacations
“Your ′top gun′ enthusiasm and excellent usage of music and jet fighter video was perfect for our ′Ready for Take-off′ theme and the feedback I heard was tremendous! As Honeywell goes to full power this year, we will rely even more on our strategic partners — our wingmen. Thanks for such a powerful message and for ′Pushing It Up′ with team Honeywell.” Tom Dalton, Vice President Worldwide Sales, Honeywell Sensing & Control
“Waldo, I′ve worked with many speakers over the years and you stand out as one of the most client-focused I have ever worked with. Moreover, your interaction with the audience and passion are commendable, and your message is relevant to all phases of life…from business to the home. Thank you for making our National Education Conference in Nashville a mission success!” Lynette Schick, Education Director, Society of Government Meeting Professionals
“Waldo was amazing! Bottom line — he didn′t deliver a canned speech on teamwork, change, and unity. He gave a speech to MTM Technologies, about MTM Technologies as he knew the difficulties we faced as a newly merged company. I would highly recommend Waldo for any event where teamwork and peak performance are goals. He makes people laugh, listen, and engage, and in the end…remember!!” Lauren Berg, Marketing Manager, MTM Technologies
“Waldo has a great ability to translate his military experience into key sales and leadership principles that can apply to each of us. His story lines around teamwork, trust, preparation, focus and execution really resonated with our organization. We′ll continue to ′Push it up!′ here at HP!” Chris Ogburn, Director, HP Personal Systems Group
“Waldo, your ′One Team, One Mission′ message, philosophy of trusting your wingmen, and becoming Mission Ready totally aligned with our teamwork goal. In all my years′ of attending sales meetings, you were simply one of the best!” Tim Krzyzanowski, VP Sales, Philips Medical Systems
“Waldo — fantastic job in both your preparation and execution! From our first contact through the high energy engagement and then finally with your follow up by way of helpful advice and e-mail tips, you are a true professional. Your ability to personalize your message was admirable, as you really embraced our focus on teamwork and trust at a critical time for our business.” Hal Hitch, Vice President, Product and Marketing, CIT Financial, Office Technology & Finance
“He was one of the best motivational speakers that I have come across in my 10 years of arranging sales meetings. Waldo left an impression on the team that they not only showed during the meeting but they′ve also taken home with them. I get phone calls saying “Thanks, Julie…You are my Wingman!” Most recently I visited one of our rep firms and I was challenged with the wingman coin.” Julie Carlson, Marketing Communications Manager, LEMO USA
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Never Fly Solo: Lead with Courage, Build Trusting Partnerships, and Reach New Heights in Business
Rob “Waldo” Waldman understands one thing better than most businesspeople: You can’t reach your highest potential alone. You need wingmen―trusted partners―who can help you overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and prepare for success. A decorated former combat F-16 fighter pilot and now a successful entrepreneur, Waldman lives his life by this rule.
Whether you’re a senior executive, mid-level manager, or new hire fresh out of college, your success depends on the mutual support of trusted associates. In Never Fly Solo, Waldo helps you maximize your relationships to reach your greatest potential. You’ll learn how to: – Commit to the core wingman values of integrity, accountability, service, and excellence – Transform your relationships with colleagues into interdependent partnerships for success – Take courageous action and ask for help when adversity strikes – Communicate effectively in high-stress situations – Connect with your coworkers and customers on a deeper level
Through compelling, real-world stories, Waldo relates how his Air Force wingmen helped him overcome challenges and become successful by teaching him lessons that work in an offi ce as well as in a cockpit.
Like the world of aerial combat, today’s high-stakes business world operates faster than the speed of sound. Teamwork and trust are critical for thwarting the missiles of fear, change, and risk that too often send even the most seasoned professional into a downward spiral.
You can’t dodge these missiles alone. Never Fly Solo is your flight plan for taking positive action that leads to greater success.
You can’t reach your highest potential alone. You need wingmen—trusted partners—who can help you overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and prepare for success. A decorated former combat F-16 fighter pilot and now a successful entrepreneur, Waldman lives his life by this rule.
Whether you’re a senior executive, mid-level manager, or new hire fresh out of college, your success depends on the mutual support of trusted associates. In Never Fly Solo, Waldo helps you maximize your relationships to reach your greatest potential. You’ll learn how to:
Through compelling, real-world stories, Waldo relates how his Air Force wingmen helped him overcome challenges and become successful by teaching him lessons that work in an offi ce as well as in a cockpit. Like the world of aerial combat, today’s high-stakes business world operates faster than the speed of sound. Teamwork and trust are critical for thwarting the missiles of fear, change, and risk that too often send even the most seasoned professional into a downward spiral.
You can’t dodge these missiles alone. Never Fly Solo is your flight plan for taking positive action that leads to greater success. Order Here
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