Video: First Female Navy Fighter Pilot Gives Local Business ‘Lessons In Leadership’

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BOONEVILLE, MISS. (WCBI) – It was a lesson in leadership for hundreds of employees with a Northeast Mississippi company.  This morning, Booneville based ACCO Brands brought in a motivational speaker who broke barriers in the world of Navy fighter pilots.

For more than ten years,  Carey Lohrenz was in the U S Navy , becoming the first female F 14 Tomcat Fighter pilot.

ACCO Brands employees gathered at Northeast Mississippi Community College to hear Lohrenz speak on  “Fearless Leadership.”  As a U S Navy pilot, she was responsible for flying a $14,000,000 jet,  and landing and taking off on an aircraft carrier.  Lohrenz says the same principles she used can also be applied in the business world.

“Whether it’s courage, tenacity, and really being able to really stick with something.  Often times the biggest barriers we all have is simply our own mindset and whether or not we believe that we can achieve something,” Lohrenz said.

For instance,  Lohrenz shares how she faced many skeptics when she set her sights on becoming a Navy pilot.   She says the attributes of Purpose, Focus and Discipline are vital to achieve any goal.

“When we’re heading in different directions, it makes it harder for all of us,” she told the crowd.

Lohrenz encourages people to change their mind set when it comes to potential problems or challenges.

From an early age,  she knew she wanted to be a fighter pilot.

“I didn’t go into this thinking I’m going to go and break barriers and be a pioneer, growing up I looked at it as I don’t really understand what the big deal is, the jet doesn’t know the difference, so why are we talking about this, it’s who can fly the jet,” Lohrenz said.

ACCO Brands Executives say Lohrenz has a motivational message for employees at all levels of the company.

“So often we have to make big bold decisions without all of the information at hand and being confident of your abilities to get to the right answer even though you may not have all the information you need, is important,” said Tom Tedford, of ACCO Brands.

Lohrenz hopes ACCO Brands employees will use her leadership lessons to propel the worldwide office and school supply company to new heights.

She is about to release a book titled “Fearless Leadership.”  All proceeds will go to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America organization.  For more information on Carey Lohrenz, her book or speaking schedule, go to www.careylohrenz.com