After spending 10+ years as an F-16 fighter pilot and finishing his career as a US Air Force Weapon School instructor, Steven C. Shallenberger is grateful he didn't listen to the Air Force instructor who visited his school when he was in seventh grade and told him he'll never be a fighter pilot, that it wasn't for anybody.  

Today, I am pleased to welcome one of my sons, Steven C. Shallenberger, CEO of ElementOne, a startup focused on restoring clean air while allowing the continued use of our modern transportation economy. He holds a BS in Engineering Mechanics from the United States Air Force Academy and an MBA in Financial and Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Pennsylvania.  

In this episode, Steven shares his experiences as a fighter pilot, the challenges he overcame during that time, and how those experiences helped him upgrade his leadership abilities. We have an inspiring conversation about leadership, humility, resilience, and situation awareness. Steven kindly shared the mantra that helped him successfully carry on with the privilege of being part of the 1% of pilots and technicians that turn into instructors of the Weapons School.  

Tune in to Episode 290 of Becoming Your Best, and enjoy the inspirational insights Steven shared with us.  

Some Questions I Ask: 

• Could you give us a little background and share a couple of key points from the Air Force experience? (3:06) 
• For anybody interested in getting into the Air Force Academy, could you tell us what the process is? (4:21) 
• Can you talk about some of the adversity that you had? How are you able to overcome adversity and setbacks? (13:17) 
• From your experience, what are the traits of a successful leader within the fighter pilot community? And how can these be applied in everyday life? (17:26) 

In This Episode, You Will Learn: 

• Steven talks about the sensation of making his dreams come true by getting into the US Air Force (7:05) 
• The relevance of having a clear purpose for overcoming adversity (8:09) 
• What it was like to be in hostile environments as a fighter pilot (10:52) 
• Steven talks about how understanding the struggle between humility vs. ego helped him overcome setbacks (13:20) 
• Steven explains the mantra: being humble, approachable, credible (17:34) 

Connect with Steven: 

• LinkedIn 

Becoming Your Best Resources: 

• Becoming Your Best Website 
• Becoming Your Best University Website 
• Becoming Your Best Library 
• Email: [email protected]  
• Book: Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders 
• Book: Conquer Anxiety: How to Overcome Anxiety and Optimize Your Performance 
• Facebook Group – Conquer Anxiety 

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