Soundview's Executive Book Alert: From the Cockpit to the Boardroom

Writers, by their nature, are prone to hyperbole. Many a business book lines the virtual shelves of online retailers such as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble and contains references to business situations as matters of life or death. It’s slightly more difficult to read a business book that references actual scenarios in which lives were on the line. One author who gives accurate accounts of such serious conditions is Lt. Col. Rob "Waldo" Waldman, a former F-16 pilot in the United States Air Force. Waldman’s book Never Fly Solo: Lead with Courage, Build Trusting Partnerships and Reach New Heights in Business is an inspired look at leadership and team-building written by someone whose combat experience gives full credence to his discussions of life or death situations.

Waldman attempts to help readers achieve goals, be better team players and increase accountability, but an unintended result of his book could be an increase in admiration for the brave men and women who serve in the United States military. The incredible, seemingly impossible expectations and grueling training undertaken by the men and women of the armed services should help executives maintain perspective during times of trouble at the office. With that in mind, one area where Waldman’s book slightly misses the mark is the assumption that individuals in every corporation will conduct themselves with the same valor and intensity with which the armed forces handle their patriotic duty. While it would be ideal if every company held itself to the high standards of the military, the cold light of reality shines on a different scene.

Never Fly Solo benefits from Waldman's abilities as a storyteller. Each chapter opens with a revealing anecdote from the author’s years as an F-16 pilot. Sales results will provide the final verdict, but one might speculate that Waldman may have been better served by writing a book solely about his military experience, rather than attempting to wed his combat stories to boardroom principles. However, executives will appreciate Waldman’s honesty, particularly in the tales where he discloses mistakes that, in a worst-case scenario, could have cost the lives of others, or at the very least, millions of taxpayer dollars in equipment. Waldman’s candor reinforces his belief in the need to be honest about one’s mistakes and never shirk one’s duty.

Despite the author’s attempt at allegory, Never Fly Solo is a book that is more military than it is business oriented. Waldman’s terminology includes fighter pilot parlance such as "check six," "break right," "over-g" and "wingman." This last term, the basis for Waldman’s entire philosophy of success, may suffer due to a cultural peculiarity. In the past decade, the term wingman has entered common speech and become synonymous with the dating world. It’s difficult to read Waldman’s repeated references to wingmen and not, despite all efforts to the contrary, be reminded of a number of advertising campaigns that extol the virtues of a wingman when out on the town for the evening. Executives should make every attempt to push past barroom applications and understand Waldman’s crucial argument for being a reliable wingman in the office.

The book has garnered ringing endorsements from a number of notable names, many of whose books have been featured by Soundview, including Marshall Goldsmith, Keith Ferrazzi and Jeffrey Gitomer. It’s little surprise that Ferrazzi is among Waldman’s supporters. The strongest moments in Never Fly Solo are those that deal with the need to be a consummate teammate and supportive individual. Waldman’s repeated emphasis on the Hollywood myth of the world of fighter pilots in the film Top Gun echoes many of the same sentiments Ferrazzi expresses in his recent book Who’s Got Your Back. Both authors attempt to dispel the long-standing image of a freewheeling individual, whether fighter pilot or CEO, whose "go it alone" attitude is the source of his or her success. Waldman does a credible job of showing that in a squadron of F-16s, there is no room for a maverick. Each person is wholly dependent on the other to ensure that the mission is accomplished safely.

Executives who enjoy military-themed business books should definitely give this one a glance. Waldman does an excellent job of humanizing the normally rugged world of fighter pilots and his experiences translate well enough to the boardroom to be effective. He deserves to be saluted for writing Never Fly Solo, but one gets the feeling that Waldman would rather see any praise for his work instead be directed to his fellow service men and women who even at this moment are putting their lives on the line. Now that is the sign of a great wingman.

Never Fly Solo by Lt. Col. Rob Waldman is published by McGraw Hill. It is under consideration by Soundview Executive Book Summaries.