First things first: Confidence is not bravado, or swagger, or an overt pretense of bravery. Confidence is not some bold or brash air of self-belief directed at others.

When I think about the past, present and future of the aerospace industry, I keep coming back to innovation as the common thread. And while we all know about the great innovations of the past, the crucial question to answer for tomorrow is: How do we inspire continued innovation into the future?

I was at a conference with 50 or so chief learning officers last week and we had a number of discussions about leadership.

Dale Carnegie wrote a fantastic book back in 1936 that really spelled out How to Win Friends and Influence People, and in my view it was so successful and continues to be successful because it contains such a lot of common sense about treating others how we ourselves like to be treated.

That’s a rather audacious claim, right? But it’s true. You can make your communications compelling. How? By understanding the difference between “features” and “benefits.”

First impressions count. No matter what the circumstances are. Business, personal or even just a casual informal introduction.

They say that to dream is the privilege of the young.

References Matter!

It is basic human nature to look for security and to hold on to what you have got but if anyone wants to be truly ambitious, then they should be looking to improve their position at least once every 2-3 years – either within their current company or elsewhere.