Carey Lohrenz, the first femaleU.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot, served as the keynote speakerat the CREW Network Convention Thursday morning.

ORLANDO, FL—"Your voice is your power," said 2019 CREW NetworkPresident, Holly Neber, CEO of AEI Consultants, during the openingprogram at this year's CREW Network Convention and Marketplace inOrlando, FL. She introduced the 30^th anniversary videoduring a morning presentation today. "We are in this together andhave each other's back. Thank you all for being part of ourhistory."

Next up to the stage was Carey Lohrenz, the first female U.S.Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot, who knows what it takes to succeedin one of the most demanding, extreme environments imaginable.

Lohrenz pointed out that some of the same qualities that helpedher break barriers and make naval aviation history can also helpthe women in the room accomplish more than they ever couldimagine.

"Every day, how you show up matters. Each of you need to show upas a fearless leader. Then you need to figure out how to get peopleon this journey with you," she told the more than 1,200attendees.

In her Wall Street Journal best-selling book, FearlessLeadership: High-Performance Lessons from the Flight Deck, sheencapsulates her advice on how to supercharge performance intoday's competitive business environments. Drawing on atrail-blazing career in the U.S. Navy, the book, and her speechtoday provided critical insight on the importance of setting a boldvision to bring teams together and staying resilient through hardtimes.

"You need to be able to have a plan you can adapt from," shesaid. "Eighty percent is good enough."

In addition to flying, Lohrenz was put in leadership roles aspart of her role as a fighter pilot. "Every three to four months,we were always changing roles. What that does is keeps you in thehabit of learning and being curious. It also makes you understandhow the entire organization works and helps to start shatteringsilos." According to Lohrenz, it is critical to realize howcritical each and every piece is. "It took an entire highperforming team to get my job done."

Leadership that understands that when you are working in areally chaotic environment, your main goal is to clarify thecomplex, she explained. "On an aircraft carrier, the main purposeis safely launching and recovering of aircrafts. We are overwhelmedeach and every day and it can be frustrating. Your biggestleadership challenge, no matter where you are or how many peopleyou are leading, your biggest challenge will be to understand whatyour purpose is."

She said to figure out your purpose, focus on what matters andexecute with discipline, you will go further than the competitionevery day of the week. "If you lose sight, you lose the fight."

She adds that it is key to also show up with a good attitude."You have to have standards of excellence and hold yourself tothose values. A positive attitude don't guarantee success but anegative attitude doesn't allow you to adapt. Without adapting, youwon't survive."

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