From the Publisher
“Captain Thompson’s achievements as a USAF Academy grad, military pilot, and entrepreneur are living proof of his successful methods for dreaming big and being your best, rather than striving for unreachable perfection. His words of wisdom in Flight to Excellence are a no-nonsense guide to life planning, whether you are facing big or little decisions.”
—Wayne Peacock, President and CEO, USAA
“Successful companies need a moral compass and a driven commitment to excellence. “T” Thompson provides this guidance in The Flight to Excellence. The P4 System is an invaluable model!”
—The Honorable T. Allan McArtor, Chairman of Airbus Americas and former Administrator of the FAA
“Captain “T” exudes confidence, a quiet charisma, and is the ultimate ambassador of integrity. I know the real deal when I see it. The Flight to Excellence gives you the fundamental principles for building sustained and unrelenting success. Buy this book and most important—read every page of it. It’ll be like a multivitamin for your soul.”
—Walter Bond, Hall of Fame speaker, former NBA basketball player, and author of Swim!: How a Shark, a Suckerfish, and a Parasite Teach You Leadership, Mentoring, and Next Level Success
“T” Thompson is an accomplished aviator, attorney, former CEO, father, author, and self-made man. His advice for how best to prepare for and pursue a principled life will have immense meaning for anyone who seeks to maximize one’s talent and find fulfillment in the lives we lead. Yes, even those who have already achieved success will find new lessons and sound advice in this inspiring and persuasive narrative.”
—Norton A. Schwartz, President and CEO, Institute for Defense Analyses; former CEO, BENS; and retired 19th Air Force Chief of Staff
“In his captivating and motivational book, Captain “T” shares his tested and proven P4 System for reaching success, both professionally and personally. And he does so by telling authentic life stories, making for a book that you will find hard to put down. The Flight to Excellence masterfully delivers a compelling pathway to achieving all your ambitions.”
—Janet C. Wolfenbarger, 1st woman to achieve the rank of 4-star general in the United States Air Force
“Captain “T” delivers a wonderful, timeless, and experienced-based formula for achieving personal and professional success. Read it twice for yourself, and then buy copies for your high school, college, and young professional children. The sooner they begin their ‘Flight to Excellence’ the better!”
—Kevin “Chili” Chilton, 3-time NASA shuttle astronaut and retired 4-star general
“The Flight to Excellence is a foundational leadership flight plan for any person seeking to break personal or professional barriers and achieve greater success. Follow its tenets for success, and your leadership and life skills will flourish.”
—Lt. Col. Waldo Waldman, Hall of Fame speaker and author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Never Fly Solo
“Captain “T”—the quintessential Renaissance man—has done it yet again. He’s taken a trajectory outside his core flight plan as a pilot, lawyer, businessman, government official, civic leader, philanthropist, and motivational commentator to develop a world-class primer on personal development and business success. As he is himself “a man for all seasons,” so too is this tome a vital handbook for folks in all stages of personal development to employ his mechanisms to jet to their destiny.”
—Fletcher “Flash” Wiley, General Counsel and Former Chairman, Boston Chamber of Commerce and Director, TJX Companies
“Don’t just read this book; use it as your daily flight plan. William “T” Thompson doesn’t write about life truths; instead, he reveals the principles he lived by to achieve a life of excellence. In a world with few role models, he is one I am constantly learning from.”
—Barry Banther, Author of A Leader’s Gift: How to Earn the Right to be Followed, Hall of Fame Speaker, and Chairman of the Board of the National Speakers Association
“Wow! What a great leadership book that I had trouble putting down. It was that good! My friend and classmate “T” Thompson has written a book that will make a profound difference in your personal and professional life. His book is a must-read!”
—Steve Lorenz, President, The Falcon Foundation and Retired USAF 4-Star General
“The compelling principles espoused in this book fit the Captain’s life to a “T” (pun intended)! It amply demonstrates that striving for excellence in all that one does is truly the key to success in all phases of life.”
—Wayne A. Budd, Former Associate Attorney General of the Unites States and Chairman, AAA
“The Flight to Excellence, written in “T”s insightful and direct style, clearly shows how consistently applying his Principles, People, Flight Plan, and Performance concepts can lead to both personal and business success. I found that in revealing his personal story, he prompted me to reflect on my own story, thereby causing me to more consciously focus on these practical and simple, but in the end transformational, principles. I highly recommend it.”
—Hugh Williamson, Fortune 500 Chairman, CEO, and Serial Entrepreneur
“I highly recommend “T” Thompson’s book Flight to Excellence. The book brilliantly conveys practical and valuable advice in a way that is both inspirational and attainable. I’ve worked with literally hundreds of young professionals of color as the CEO of The Partnership, a leadership development organization in Boston. These professionals yearn for role models and tactics to grow and thrive in their careers and lives. If I were still in that role, Flight to Excellence would be required reading and “T” Thompson would be an annual guest speaker.”
—Bennie Wiley, Corporate Director and Former CEO
“Captain “T” has written a powerful guide to not only help you get clear on what you want in life, but he then gives you the strategy to ensure you get there. His personal stories and his well-thought-out plan make this a must-read for anyone just starting their career or those of us on the tail end looking to create our legacy. Love this book!”
—Meridith Elliott Powell, Award-Winning Author of Own It: Redefining Responsibility, Top 15 Business Growth Expert, and Keynote Speaker
“As our country finally has its critical conversation on race, Captain “T” demonstrates in his new book how excellence overcomes these obstacles and leads to sustained success. Most importantly, he shows the reader how they can do it too. A must-read in these times.”
—Greg Moore, Former Managing Editor, TheBoston Globe and TheDenver Post
“Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do. These are the core values of the Air Force Academy where “T” Thompson and I went to school. This book clearly shows how consistently applying these values leads to personal, business, and even financial success.”
—John Regni, 17th Superintendent, USAF Academy, and Retired USAF 3-Star General
“An outstanding leadership tool at a time when it is desperately needed. This book shows how excellence is a choice and can be a tremendous competitive advantage at a time when mediocrity has become the commodity of the day.”
—Dick McConn, Chairman of the National Defense Industry Association and CEO of M International Inc.
“Leading during turbulence requires a moral compass to stay on course. Captain “T” clearly provides a flight manual with his P4 System on how to do this for sustained excellence and enduring impact.”
—Dana H. Born, Chair, Senior Executive Fellows (SEF) Program, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, and Retired USAF Brigadier General
“Captain “T”’s P4 System for success is built around integrity, good people skills, attention to detail, and not forgetting where he came from. If a young African-American kid from segregated South Carolina born to teenage parents can use this simple system as a blueprint for his success, everyone can use it as a guide to his or her own success. His ability to incorporate his life experiences into principles for success is outstanding and is well worth the read.”
—George Brooks, President, UPS International, Inc. Americas
“Captain “T”’s story is incredibly compelling, and his insights guide all of us to embrace excellence in our own lives. The Flight to Excellence is a roadmap that will enrich any life. I love this book!”
—Mark Scharenbroich, Emmy Award Winner, Hall of Fame Speaker, Award-Winning Author of Nice Bike
“This book is timely as our country finally has the difficult conversation on justice and race that we have needed for so long. Captain “T” has excelled as a leader with the courage to live by the Air Force core values we share: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do. He has demonstrated how consistently applying the P4 system has achieved sustained success despite historic challenges. Most importantly, “T" shows how you can do it too.”
—Michelle Johnson,19th Superintendent, USAF Academy, First Woman to Lead a U.S. Department of Defense Service Academy, and Retired 3-Star General
“This is a masterpiece for businesses and individuals who are tired of circling the airport of uncertainty and ready to land the plane by excelling in excellence. The P4 System is simple, substantive, and a fresh way of thinking in this transformative period in history. I’m recommending this book to everyone I know. It’s a must-read!”
—Simon T. Bailey, Author of Shift Your Brilliance, and Hall of Fame Speaker
