Minimizing Risk and Maximizing Performance with Astronaut Jim Wetherbee

Jim Witherbee is a former naval aviator and test pilot turned astronaut and author. In the course of his extraordinary career, Jim flew on six space flight missions and commanded and landed the Space Shuttle five times. He was also involved in the recovery efforts for the Challenger and Columbia Space Shuttle explosions and the Deepwater Horizon disaster. In his book, Controlling Risk in a Dangerous World; 30 Techniques for Operating Excellence, Jim shares the knowledge he gained from his extensive experience of managing risk in exceptionally volatile situations and advises organizations on the best way to minimize risk and optimize performance.  In this episode, you’ll hear from Jim Wetherbee on;(00:19:54) The three steps for reducing risk. For Jim, the essential components of risk management consist of identifying the hazard, assessing the risk, and implementing controls. In addition, he believes the ability to anticipate the prospect of the worst possible failure happening at the worst possible time makes it easier to get things right and prevent even unpredictable accidents from occurring.(00:38:11) The process of accountability. In Jim’s opinion, accountability is a two-way process, which requires team leaders to ask employees about any problems they encounter at work. He also believes that employees should feel empowered to search for vulnerabilities in the organization and find solutions for potential issues.(00;47:59) Jim’s ‘be here now’ ethos. As a former Navy Captain and an astronaut who is accustomed to facing potential life-or-death situations, Jim describes how he learned to focus on the present moment and make the best of every day.  (01:05:10) Confidence and humility. Jim believes that we can achieve anything with the correct balance of confidence and humility. He points out that confidence gives us the courage to believe in ourselves and prevents us from making too many errors, whereas humility makes us aware of our weaknesses and more willing to learn from our mistakes.  (01:35:37) The view from the International Space Station. Jim recalls the atmospheric greenish glow of the night sky when seen from the station and describes the surreal experience of traveling through the Southern Lights.

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Welcome to The High-Performance Zone. A podcast dedicated to achieving high performance and fearless success. From business and relationships, to teamwork and strategy, The High-Performance Zone covers every area relevant to your life. Hosted by John Foley, a global leader in keynote speeches, founder of the Glad To Be Here foundation, and the previous lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels.