You can find great leadership ideas everywhere. Here are some of the best leadership tips from Top Gun Maverick. If you see this Summer blockbuster movie you’ll walk away with some great leadership tips. See if you can relate and take away some new ideas. Here are a few top quotes from the film.

Best leadership tips from Top Gun Maverick, see if you agree.
Top Gun: “It’s not the plane; it’s the pilot.”
Leadership Translation: It all starts with leadership. It’s not the company, product, or people; it is how they are led.
As we look at any organization, the Leader must set the course and take responsibility for the success of the company. Leaders must take sole responsibility for the decisions they make and, ultimately, the results of those decisions.
Great leaders set the course and navigate through the strengths and weaknesses of their mission, setting the vision, collaborating with their upper-level staff, building relationships within their network, and ultimately taking responsibility for the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Top Gun: From a team member, “Is this mission even achievable? Response: It depends on the pilot”.
Leadership Translation: When you are faced with challenging, ambitious goals, can they be achieved? The responsibility is on you and how well you motivate and lead. Your team may have the same question and have doubts. Are the company goals achievable? The Leader must persuade and convince others that the goals can be met. Getting everyone’s buy-in is critical to success.
True leaders inspire their teams. What is at stake? Are the stakes high enough to create a passion for achievement?
Check out my blog: Discovering the ten ways great leaders motivate others. I’ve also recorded a Wednesday Morning Memo explaining the details and importance of these ten methods of motivation.
Top Gun: Never leave your wingman
Leadership Translation: Every team member must have trust, respect, and integrity for each other. Teamwork. It is a life lesson fostered by a coach on your first baseball or swim team. Support from leadership helps drive great teams. Checking in with your teams to show your engagement boosts their morale and keeps them focused on their initiatives. You never know who may come up with the next winning idea!
Top Gun: “Your reputation precedes you Maverick.” “Thank you Sir!” “That wasn’t meant to be a compliment.”
Leadership Translation: What is your reputation worth? Is it good or bad?
Your reputation as a leader is something you create and is a reflection of your actions and words. Perception is formed about who you are. When you demonstrate who you are, the rest of the world is watching and creating their own opinions.
Top Gun “Show me what you’re made of”
Leadership Translation: Prove it. Make me a believer. Great leaders know strong employees love a challenge. They stay engaged, work harder, and are ultimately more content in their roles. They feel invested in the company, want it to succeed, and work to advance their careers and add more to your bottom line. The Leader ultimately becomes the mentor when making their employee the hero.
Top Gun “What you do up there is dangerous. But you’ve got to go on.”
Leadership Translation: As a leader, you don’t fear failure. Strong leaders are resilient to failure and know it often precedes growth. Mindset is so important as a Leader. Confident leaders can acknowledge a setback and reset the goals and procedures for success.
How can you apply these ideas to your leadership?
Consider each of the best leadership tips from Top Gun Maverick and ask the following questions:
- Am I demonstrating that idea in my leadership style or behavior?
- The stakes might not be life and death, but they are essential for you and the people around you. Are you pursuing your goals with the same level of passion?
- What small steps could you take to change the way you lead based on these ideas?