Flying Under the Radar: Good for Tactics, Bad for Business
Certain missions require aviators to “hug the ground” as we fly our fighter jets to a target. We call this “flying under the radar.” It keeps us safe and allows us to complete our mission while avoiding or delaying contact with the enemy. In the civilian world, we often feel like we need to fly under the radar in order to blend in ... so we can be part of the team and not seem different. While this tactic might keep a person feeling safe, it prevents the person from reaching his or her full potential. Which, in turn, has a ripple effect on the company, not just keeping employees from reaching their potential but also stunting the growth and prosperity of the company as a whole.
Vanessa Mahan
Vanessa “Siren” Mahan is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve with 20+ years of military leadership experience and a combat veteran with over 100 combat missions in the F-15E Strike Eagle supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
As a Distinguished Graduate from AFROTC at Purdue University, she attended Joint Strike Navigator Training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, where a Military Sexual Trauma (MST) nearly destroyed her before her career could even takeoff. But reaching her goal of protecting troops and civilians by flying in combat in a post 9/11 world, helped her overcome the MST and other obstacles. She is a champion of diversity and inclusion, on a mission to inspire people and businesses by sharing her story with conviction, humor, and sincerity.
With a passion for physical training discovered after joining the military, Vanessa founded Siren Strong, LLC, a functional fitness and health coaching business dedicated to empowering men and women who want to up-level their wellness. She is a also speaker with Athena’s Voice USA, a badass company founded by two female veterans committed to bringing the wisdom of women warriors to audiences worldwide.
Vanessa enjoys the outdoors and spending time with her active duty Navy husband, her two children, and one rambunctious golden retriever.