Most leaders perform under pressure. But some must shine under extraordinary circumstances, especially when they hold peoples’ lives in their hands.
Qantas pilot Richard de Crespigny – lauded a hero after landing QF32 safely after a catastrophic explosion above Singapore in 2010 – is one of them.
Since that fateful flight – which against the odds saw 469 passengers plus crew return to land despite the terrifying drama – de Crespigny has had time to reflect on the skillset required to survive in high pressure workplaces.
De Crespigny shares the techniques he built up over decades in the high-pressure worlds of military and civilian aviation in his latest book called Fly!, available from September 3.
He unravels leadership, teamwork, risk-assessment, decision-making, crisis management and lifelong resilience.
The Book Club breakfast is a chance to hear more about how his wisdom can be applied to challenges and opportunities in the workplace as well as to life.
The book includes exclusive insights from fellow hero pilot Sully Sullenberger (Hudson River, New York crash), astronaut Neil Armstrong, NASA’s Gene Kranz and others who have succeeded under intense pressure, Fly! will enable everybody to perform at their best and to succeed in any situation.
Melbourne born and educated, de Crespigny got his first taste of a future flying career as a 14-year-old when his father took him on a tour of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Academy at Point Cook in Victoria.
In 1975, aged 17, he joined the RAAF and one year later started flying.
During his 11 years flying transport, jet and helicopter aircraft with the RAAF, he was seconded as Aide-de-Camp to two Australian Governors-General – Sir Zelman Cowen and Sir Ninian Stephen.
De Crespigny remained with the RAAF until 1986 when he joined Qantas, flying Boeing 747, Airbus A330 and A380 jet aircraft.
His first book QF32, published in 2012, was a detailed account of what went wrong in the air that flight and went on to become an award-winning best seller.
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