#93 - Kim "KC" Campbell - Fighter Pilot's Courage, Lessons, and Growth Stories

Send us a text Kim “KC” Campbell is a retired Colonel who served in the Air Force for over 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Kim was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism after successfully recovering her battle-damaged airplane after an intense close air support mission. As a senior military leader, Kim has led hundreds of Airmen both at home and abroad in deployed locations and enabled them to succeed in their missions. She has experience leading complex organizations and driving cultural change. Kim knows what it takes to be a successful leader, to inspire and empower high performance teams to achieve success. Kim is passionate about leadership and feels strongly that leaders earn trust by leading with courage and connecting with their team. - Quick Episode Summary: Kim "KC" Campbell shares lessons on courage, mistakes, leadership, and resilience. - 🌟 Torch Takeaways:Courage is about action, not the absence of fearLearning from mistakes—and moving forward—is essentialPositive self-talk can help conquer nerves and self-doubtTrust, authenticity, and connection are at the heart of leadershipGratitude for the team makes the mission possible - Chapters: 00:00 Podcast Guest Pursuit Journey 04:15 Pilot"s Challenges and Lessons 09:03 Reflecting on the Challenger Experience 10:51 Enjoy the Journey 12:50 Chief Robinson"s Inspiring Leadership Mentorship 16:59 Airplane Incident and Aftermath 20:38 Courage in Fearful Moments 24:01 Redefining Leadership Expectations 28:46 "Write Your Own Success Story" 32:30 "Flying with Reassuring Leader Spanky" 33:01 Gas Mask Drill Recollection 39:27 "Book"s Message" Connect with Passing The Torch: Facebook and IG: @torchmartin More Amazing Stories: Episode 41: Lee Ellis – Freeing You From Bond That Make You Insecure Episode 49: Ryan Hawk – Crafting a Legacy of Leadership Episode 52: Riley Tejcek – Mission of Empowerment and Endurance