Rob “Waldo” Waldman – Your Wingman

Motivational keynote speaker Waldo Waldman – The Wingman – is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Never Fly Solo. He teaches tactics on how to build trusting, revenue producing relationships with employees, partners, and customers while sharing his experiences as a decorated fighter pilot and sales expert. A graduate of the Air Force Academy, he holds an MBA with a focus on Organizational Behavior and is a former top producing sales manager. He successfully led national sales efforts for several cutting edge technology and consulting firms before becoming a motivational speaker and leadership expert.

Waldo overcame massive claustrophobia and a fear of heights to become a fighter pilot with 65 combat missions and 2,650 flight hours. He’s deployed worldwide and flew missions in Iraq, SE Asia, and Kosovo during Operation Allied Force. Waldo has been awarded 5 Air Medals, 2 Aerial Achievement Medals, 4 Commendation Medals, and 2 Meritorious Service Medals.

Waldo Waldman has been inducted into the National Speaker’s Association Speaker Hall of Fame. Also known as the Council of Peers Award for Excellence (CPAE), the award honors those who have reached the top echelon of platform excellence. It has been bestowed on less than 200 speakers worldwide since 1977, including Colin Powell, Zig Ziglar, and Ronald Reagan. Waldo is also a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), which is the highest earned designation recognized in the professional speaking industry. Only 7% of all professional speakers hold this exclusive designation.

Waldo believes that the key to building a culture of trust lies with your wingmen – those who help you to overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and achieve success. In business and life, you should never fly solo! The ability to win when the heat is on lies in the ability of every wingman in your organization, regardless of their role, to support the team and be 100% committed to the mission.

Audiences connect with Waldman because of his extensive business background and his infectious passion for helping people. Through his motivational keynotes and leadership seminars, he applies the same principles that guaranteed his success in the competitive world of aerial combat. His message is simple – whether achieving victory as a fighter pilot or in business, the same qualities that ensure success apply: courage, accountability, preparation, integrity, teamwork, and a commitment to excellence!

A high energy motivational keynote speaker, Waldo Waldman was ranked one of the Top 40 under 40 Business Leaders in Georgia and has been featured on Fox & Friends, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, The Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Entrepreneur Magazine, Success Magazine, Inc. Magazine, Business Week, and many other media outlets.

Waldo is also the founder and President of The Wingman Foundation, a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to raise funds and awareness for soldiers, veterans and their families in need.

NEVER FLY SOLO! The Power of Partnership

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. By placing your trust in your wingmen and by being a wingman to your customers and team, there is no mission you can’t complete!

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 bestselling author. His motto is Winners Never Fly Solo! Through his captivating personal stories and high energy videos, learn how you, like a fighter pilot, can succeed in highly competitive and demanding environments.

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.

Waldo’s clients include Aflac, Marriott, Medtronic, Verizon, Hewlett-Packard, Honeywell, John Hancock, and dozens of national associations. A Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), he is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Never Fly Solo (McGraw-Hill) and has been featured on Fox News, CNN, CNBC, The Harvard Business Review, and SUCCESS Magazine. He also writes a weekly business column for The Huffington Post. To hire Waldo for your next corporate or association meeting, please contact one of his agents.

WINGMAN LEADERSHIP - How to Build a Culture of Courage in Business and Life

loyalty to the mission, and a relentless commitment to excellence lies with its leadership. In this high energy workshop, I highlight 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. Following this highly interactive and fun session, audiences will learn peak performance leadership tools based on 4 key concepts: Shared Vision – Each and every wingman in your organization must know exactly what they are fighting for. They must be committed to the mission, and understand exactly how their unique role in the organization is essential to its success. Values Based Culture – Integrity, accountability, mutual respect, and teamwork must serve as the foundation for all relationships between employees, and with partners and clients as well. Effective Communication -Leaders listen aggressively and communicate their vision with passion. They promote open communication and connect with the heart and soul of their wingmen. Train to Win Mindset – Successful leaders command flawless preparation, not flawless execution. They encourage their wingmen to expand their capabilities, and consistently reward high performers who take calculated risks and ‘push the envelope’ in order to grow.

"Waldo, your presentation was high-energy - you kept the audience entertained and captivated and I definitely could relate the wingman theory to our everyday work...I intend to use that philosophy with all the teams that I manage! In a nutshell, mission accomplished...PUSH IT UP!!" — Michelle Faria, Events Manager, Intel Corporation

"Waldo - fantastic job in both your preparation and execution! Fromour first contact through the high energy engagement and then finally with your follow up by way of helpful advice and e-mail tips, you are a true professional. Your ability to personalize your message was admirable, as you really embraced our focus on teamwork and trust at a critical time for our business." — Hal Hitch, Vice President, CIT Financial - Office and Technology Finance Group

"Waldo, you were the highlight of our meeting! Thank you for taking the time to know our business inside and out. I am, without hesitation, proud to be your wingman!" — Kaye McComas, Director of Recovery, Federated Dept Stores

"As Honeywell strives to create a strong relationship with our allied partners such as General Motors, Boeing, and Caterpillar, we always seek insightful speakers that are able to convey our message. Your valuable sales, leadership, and trust building strategies really hit home with our overall goals and objectives, and the feedback I heard was tremendous. You were perfect for our 'Ready for Take-off' theme!" — Tom Dalton, Vice President Worldwide Sales, Honeywell Sensing & Control