Rob “Waldo” Waldman

Lt. Col. (ret.) Rob ‘Waldo’ Waldman – The Wingman – is a professional leadership speaker and author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Never Fly Solo.  As a keynote speaker Rob “waldo” Waldman teaches organizations how to build trusting, revenue producing relationships with their employees, partners, and customers while sharing his experiences as a combat decorated F-16 fighter pilot and businessman.

In addition to his speaking business, Waldo is also founder and President of The Wingman Foundation, a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to build funds and awareness for soldiers, veterans and their families in need.

He is a highly experienced combat veteran with over 2,650 flight hours and sixty-five real world combat missions, having flown both in Iraq enforcing the “No-Fly Zone” and in Yugoslavia during Operation Allied Force in 1999. Some of his military honors include five Air Medals, two Aerial Achievement Medals, four Air Force Commendation Medals, and two Meritorious Service Medals.

Waldo overcame massive claustrophobia and a fear of heights to become a fighter pilot and believes that the key to building a culture of trust lies with your wingmen – the men and women in your life who help you to overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and achieve success. In business and life, you should never fly solo!

Waldo is a graduate of the U.S Air Force Academy and also holds an MBA with a focus on Organizational Behavior. A member of the prestigious Speaker Hall of Fame, – an honor less than 200 speakers in the world have received, including Colin Powell, Tony Robbins, and Zig Ziglar, he is also a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), member of the board of the National Speaker’s Association, and his clients include Hewlett Packard, Verizon Wireless, New York Life, Siemens, Home Depot, Aflac, and Johnson & Johnson.

Voted one of the Top 40 under 40 Business Leaders in Georgia, he’s been featured on Fox & Friends, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, The Harvard Business Review, Investor’s Business Daily, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, INC. Magazine, and Business Week.

Never Fly Solo! The Power of Partnership to Reach New Heights in Business

Flying solo? You might think so. But take a good look around. You have support staff. You have managers. You have suppliers, vendors and distributors. And you have colleagues, family members and significant others. Today in our super charged, highly competitive world of constant change, those who build trust and work as a team will dodge the missiles and win. By committing yourself to excellence and placing your trust in those around you, you can overcome obstacles, adapt to change and break performance barriers during adverse times.

Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman, The Wingman, overcame a lifelong battle with claustrophobia and a fear of heights to become a combat decorated Air Force fighter pilot and highly successful businessman, entrepreneur and New York Times best-selling author.

Discover how to prepare diligently for every mission; employ loyal wingmen to promote integrity and mutual support and lead your team with courage, compassion and conviction. Be inspired to take to the skies knowing that you have wingmen to help you face challenges and change with confidence while maximizing your potential in all aspects of your life.

“Wingman Leadership”: How to Build a Culture of Courage in Business and Life

• How can you instill a climate of ownership in your organization so that every person feels like they are accountable and responsible for its success?
• What tools can you employ to motivate the members of your organization to focus on the mission rather than themselves?

• How can you help create an organization where change and innovation are not met with fear, but embraced with courage and respected as a tool to beat the competition?

The key to building a high performing organization that encourages innovative thinking, loyalty to the mission, effective communication and a relentless commitment to excellence lies with its leadership. In this high energy, multimedia workshop, Waldo highlights the difference between managing people and leading them to be responsible, empowered and confident wingmen! What results is a more productive and efficient organization with superior morale that can rapidly overcome challenges in a competitive marketplace.

Waldo discusses proven leadership principles based on his experience as a graduate of the Air Force Academy, seasoned Air Force officer and combat decorated fighter pilot and experienced businessman.