E50 - Guests: Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, Chair of the UK Civil Aviation Authority & Former Chief of the Air Staff

My guest this week is Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, the current Chairman of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, and a former Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Air Force. In another first for Leading 4 Life "Stories", this episode was recorded as an event for The Leaders' Club, with an online audience who were able to ask questions of Steve once the recording was complete. Steve and I joined the RAF and went through flying training at very much the same time. Our paths diverged very early though as Steve went straight back into the flying training system as a Qualified Flying Instructor and subsequently on to the Tornado GR1 and then GR4. He climbed the career ladder at a very impressive rate and ultimately held the top job as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff from 2016-2019. He has subsequently forged an equally impressive civilian career, taking over as Chair of the CAA in 2020, as well as being a Board Member of the Atomic Energy Authority, Chair of the RAF Museum, holding an advisory role with a major PLC, and being involved with a range of charities. Steve speaks candidly about the highs and lows of his RAF career as well as offering advice for those leaving the military and transitioning to civilian life. Please note that, because the recording was made ahead of the UK General Election in July 2024, Steve was unable to talk about his CAA role due to the rules applying to all public officials ahead of UK elections. In this episode we cover the following topics (starting time in brackets): Steve's career journey (00.02.47) Early motivations (00.07.42) Adjustments to leadership style (00.12.02) Role models (00.19.19) Leadership learnings from the flying environment (00.28.13) Highs and lows (00.34.38) Relaxation & de-stressing (00.46.52) Top tips for a leaving the military and making a successful civilian transition (00.50.24) Most difficult question! (00.56.33) Send me a Text Message Support the show JOIN THE CONVERSATION What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube. If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show. SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES” If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to: https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable. CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/ Website: https://leading4life.co.uk/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life X: https://x.com/JudsonBob