Host Jeremy C. Park interviews Captain Jack Becker, a former U.S. Navy F-18 fighter pilot, instructor and coach, and keynote speaker, who highlights his upcoming book and shares a recap of his recent keynote presentation on leadership and teamwork from the cityCURRENT signature speaker series event in Nashville, Tennessee. Becker shares his experience using lessons from his military career to inspire business audiences, emphasizing themes of collaboration, attention to detail, and the importance of debriefing to improve performance. He discusses his upcoming book, “Supersonic Success,” scheduled for release in February 2026, and offers insights into his coaching and leadership training services. The conversation highlights Becker’s approach to creating a culture of openness and trust within teams, where sharing mistakes is seen as a path to success.
Summary
Teamwork Lessons from the Cockpit – Jeremy and Jack discuss Jack’s recent keynote speech in Nashville with the cityCURRENT signature speaker series, where he drew parallels between his experience as a Navy fighter pilot and the challenges faced by his audience. Jack emphasizes teamwork and collaboration, using his experience of landing a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier at night to illustrate how even seemingly solitary tasks require a supportive team. He highlights the importance of recognizing and leveraging each other’s strengths to overcome individual weaknesses, a lesson he learned from his time in the cockpit.
Keynote Experience and Audience Connection – Jack discusses his experience as a keynote speaker for cityCURRENT’s signature speaker series event in Nashville, highlighting the diverse audience of business and community leaders and the challenge and fun of connecting with such a wide range of professionals. He emphasizes the concept of “drift,” which he defined as the gradual decline in standards, and shares feedback from attendees who appreciated his message about maintaining high standards in business.
Maintaining High Standards in Aviation – Jack shares a story from his early career as a fighter pilot about a commanding officer who had a dream about losing an airplane and pilot. The commanding officer asked each pilot if they thought they would be the first person suspected of causing the accident. When all the pilots confidently denied it, the commanding officer praised their confidence but emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards to avoid being suspected in a real incident.
Navy Leadership Process and Skills – Jack discusses the leadership lessons and process used by Navy fighter pilots, emphasizing the importance of the brief, execute, and debrief model. He explains how this process, which includes the use of 7 critical skills such as communication and decision-making, helps teams improve performance by sharing best practices and learning from mistakes. Jack highlights the value of creating a culture where mistakes are openly discussed to prevent their repetition and promote continuous improvement.
Openness in Sharing Failures – Jeremy and Jack discuss the importance of sharing failures to foster a culture of openness and continuous improvement. They emphasize that creating a safe environment for vulnerability, starting from the top, can build trust and elevate team performance. Jack shares his experience with fighter pilots, highlighting how openness in debriefing sessions has transformed their team from average to the best in the world. He notes that as teams become more comfortable sharing mistakes, the issues they highlight tend to become smaller and more manageable over time.
Jack’s Supersonic Success Book Launch – Jack discusses his upcoming book, “Supersonic Success,” scheduled for release in February 2026, which will expand on his signature keynote presentation. He emphasizes the importance of accountability in coaching and shares his experience working with various organizations, from professional sports teams to Fortune 50 companies. Jack highlights the book’s blend of serious lessons and humor, drawing from his experiences in the military and training environments. He encourages listeners to learn more about his keynotes, coaching, and leadership training by visiting his website, supersonicsuccess.com, where they can also connect with him on social media and schedule a Zoom call for inquiries.
Visit https://www.supersonicsuccess.com to learn more and to connect with Captain Jack Becker.
