PANIC !

ENGINE FIRE IN FLIGHT!

ACTIVE SHOOTER, ACTIVE SHOOTER!

What you haven't trained for may kill you. This fundamental concept has been drilled into the military and law enforcement for countless decades. This mind set, desire to be prepared and the foresight to train, drill and practice for the unexpected is what will often be the determining factor between winning or losing a war, a fight or just an unexpected surprise in your personal or business life.

Think for a second about the real world we live in. Mexico just had a huge earthquake, Houston survived Harvey, Florida and the Caribbean got pummeled by Irma, crime is rampant all over the world and especially in our major cities, terrorism is not going away soon and then there's North Korea. This is just a snap shot of the types of situations that have the potential to surprise you and me. Let's talk about what we can do to mitigate danger and disaster in our personal lives.

One of the first and most fundamental things they teach you in US Air Force pilot training is to be always aware, observant and constantly use a "cross check." That is used especially in the cockpit where you are continually scanning the horizon, your instruments and monitoring yourself. It relates to your own physical condition too. Everything from what you eat, how much sleep you get and even includes monitoring your body continually.

When flying, part of the cross check is looking for the tell tale signs of hypoxia, oxygen starvation. Symptoms include a feeling of euphoria and watching your finger tips for a blue tint indicating lack of oxygen. Payne Stewart, a golfer, died in a Lear jet accident in 1999. Investigators surmise they lost cabin pressure. This would result in incapacitation if flying over 10,000 feet where there is little oxygen. USAF fighter pilots who intercepted the plane, which was non responsive to air traffic controllers, reported fogged over windows and no apparent human activity.

You probably aren't a pilot but you still need to be aware and prepared for the unexpected surprise. Studies of active shooter incidents in the USA as well as around the world have revealed a startling fact. Most people who became victims were very passive, confused and effectively gave up. They didn't know what to do.

Now, imagine how difficult it is for elementary kids to know how to react in a dangerous situation. They will know what to do "only" if someone has prepared them, trained them and practiced exactly how to RESPOND.

For years I was trained, drilled and practiced how to handle aircraft emergencies. Everyday was potentially a life or death situation. The same principles of personal behavior apply to other real life situations. We need to prepare for the unexpected.

The last emergency procedure in our pilot manual was called the general emergency procedure. This simple procedure may be applied to any crisis.

1. Maintain Aircraft Control - It's all about attitude and self control.

2. Analyze the Situation - Awareness of self, others and the situation.

3. Take Appropriate Corrective Action - Focused and precise action.

When working with my executive clients we have an added step.

4. Learn from the Situation

This is the valuable analysis and application that we do in a coaching environment. You can practice, drill and teach people how to be prepared and respond to virtually any situation. The thing that will kill you is the one you didn't prepare for or overlooked.

It all starts with AWARENESS of self, others and what's going on around you. The better you understand those factors, the better will be your results. Over the last several years there has been a lot of discussion on Emotional Intelligence, EQ. The whole concept of Emotional Intelligence starts with awareness of self.

The third chapter in my book, The CEO Code, is titled "Understanding." In it you will find a thorough discussion and explanation of these and other elements to learn, drill and practice so you can become a great communicator, a great leader and achieve great things in business and life.

This week a colleague, Adam Coughran, and I were discussing similiarities in our backgrounds and practical ways we each have learned to deal with panic, emergencies, crisis and all sorts of SURPRISES. Adam has almost twenty years in law enforcement and is now developing a comprehensive program for kids, K-8, to "Keep Kids SAFE." His training and consulting company, Safe Kids, Inc., is teaching kids how to recognize danger and then what to do when they find themselves in a dangerous situation.

My background is a bit different. I flew 208 combat missions as a US Air Force fighter pilot. Like Adam, my work is focused on helping others. As a CEO Coach I encourage and guide executives to Create A Masterpiece personally and professionally.

When you understand the basic survival concepts developed over hundreds of years and combine them with modern science, education, technology and business you are able to thrive, survive, fight in mortal combat and win in war. These concepts also apply to your personal life, your family life and your business life. Remember, this is your LIFE, not a dress rehearsal.