First Class Leaders Podcast

About First Class Leaders Podcast

Leadership isn't a title, a rank or a position. It's a mindset and a choice. This podcast about what leadership should look like when the pressure is on, hosted by Kyle Freiburger, a former Air Canada Airbus 320 captain with over 10,000 hours in the cockpit. Every week Kyle sits down with pilots, aviation professionals and leaders from outside the industry to talk about the part most people skip. Not the highlight reel, but what they struggled with, what they got wrong and how choosing to take the lead changed the way they show up. You'll hear honest conversations about reacting out of fear instead of leading with intention, about the gap between what we intend and the impact we actually have and about the daily choices that separate people who wait for permission from people who take responsibility for how they show up. No gurus and no formulas for a perfect career. Just real stories, practical tools and a simple question worth asking on your worst day. How can I take the lead right now? New episodes weekly. Are you ready to take the lead?

Publisher

kyle856

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Aug 2026

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Oct 2026

   The 3-Step Drill for Building Self Awareness - #12

   You are not as self-aware as you think you are and that might be the best news you hear today. Kyle shares the personal story that exposed the gap between his intentions and his impact, then breaks down the simple skill that turns frustration, defensiveness, and miscommunication into growth. For years, Kyle believed he was already humble, open, and easy to work with. Then repeated feedback from partners and colleagues, along with a memorable CRM training moment at age 28, forced a hard truth: good intentions do not guarantee good outcomes. That realization became the foundation for his Take the Lead framework and a deeper understanding of self-awareness. You’ll discover why self-awareness is not a destination but a direction, how to spot the signals you’ve been ignoring, and why defending your intentions can make trust and connection worse. Kyle explains how external feedback, internal emotions, and everyday friction can all offer clues and how to move from reaction to response using a simple ACT process.Key takeaways include: The difference between blame and ownership Why curiosity can help you move forward How humility, support, and courage guide your next step Why daily reflection, coaching, and practical reps matter If you’ve wondered why the same conflict keeps repeating or how to become the person you want to be, this episode offers a practical path toward self-awareness, leadership, and personal growth.

2. 

   6 Oct 2026

   The hidden reason people get defensive and how to break the cycle - Mike Sferrazza - #11

   What if defensiveness is not a personality problem, but a leadership problem? Kyle and Mike Sferrazza break down why difficult moments keep escalating, what your brain is really protecting, and the simple shift that can stop the reaction loop before it takes over. If you keep finding yourself arguing, blaming, justifying, or shutting down with a spouse, co-worker, or anyone who pushes your buttons, this conversation will hit hard. The real issue is not just what the other person said it's the belief underneath your response and the move you choose next. You'll discover: Why defensiveness is often a threat response, not a character flaw How hidden beliefs like "I'm not good enough" quietly run the show The difference between reacting and responding in the middle of conflict Why "take the lead" works as a pattern interrupt when emotions spike How influence happens as a byproduct of staying grounded, not by trying to control someone else When boundaries are the healthiest move, especially in relationships and high-stakes environments Why coaching and belief work matter if you want to change the root, not just the behavior Mike shares how defensiveness shows up as the urge to win, prove a point, or avoid feeling inadequate, while Kyle connects that pattern to emotional intelligence, leadership, and the five principles behind the Take the Lead framework. Together they unpack the practical difference between handling a heated conversation and actually transforming the belief driving it. This episode is especially valuable if you're tired of repeating the same conflict patterns and want a better way to show up without getting pulled into someone else's reaction. Whether you're navigating marriage, leadership, the flight deck, or any relationship where tension escalates fast, this one gives you a framework you can actually use in real time.If you've ever thought, "I know I'm reacting, but I don't know how to stop," start here. The answer may be simpler than you think and harder than you'd like. But once you learn the skill, everything changes.

3. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Why Good Intentions Can Still Have a Bad Impact - #10

   The difference between a strong leader and a damaged relationship can come down to one split second: intent versus impact. A real cockpit incident shows how good people, with good intentions, can still make things worse when they slip into reaction mode.Kyle breaks down the “autopilot loop” that kicks in when we feel threatened, why the brain defaults to blame and justification, and how that reaction can affect communication and decision-making. If you’ve ever snapped at someone, shut down, or wondered, “Why did I do that?” this episode offers a more useful place to start than shame.In this episode, you’ll explore: Why intentions are invisible, while impact is what others experience How threat perception can pull us out of thoughtful decision-making How a cockpit incident illustrates the way mistakes can compound Why mistakes can be an opportunity to learn, rather than a reason to judge yourself What it means to “take the lead” by shifting from justification to focusing on impact Why asking for help can be a powerful leadership move Kyle also shares a practical way to notice your “signals” the moments when you realize you’re frustrated, defensive, or off track. By noticing sooner and reflecting on what happened, you can build a better response for next time.For pilots, aviation professionals, and anyone working to become a more self-aware leader, this episode is a reminder: leadership isn’t about proving your intentions. It’s about learning to take responsibility for your impact.

4. 

   22 Sept 2026

   Why Success Feels Empty Until You Redefine How You Measure It - Tyler Haughey - #9

   Most of what holds pilots and leaders back is not skill it’s the belief that they’re “not ready” yet. In this episode, Tyler Haughey and Kyle explore why that feeling is so common, how it shapes our decisions, and how taking the next step can turn hesitation into progress. Tyler started flight training after 9/11 and has since worked as a flight instructor, airline captain, pilot recruiter, and founder of Level Flight, an online ground school designed for people with real lives. In this conversation, Tyler and Kyle go beyond aviation training to discuss leadership, confidence, failure, emotional reactions, and personal growth. They explore: Why capable people often believe they are not good enough The difference between feelings and beliefs How perfectionism can prevent people from taking action Why success should be measured by progress, learning, and the next step The difference between reacting emotionally and choosing how to respond How humility, curiosity, ownership, courage, and support can shape better leadership Why focusing on impact instead of intent can improve relationships How pilots can balance memorizing essential information with knowing where to find reliable references Why ground training should be treated as meaningful preparation rather than a checkbox How to learn from mistakes and use them to become a better leader Tyler also shares a cockpit training experience that taught him to slow down, recognize a mistake, and fix what he could. Kyle discusses how practicing ownership and humility can change everyday interactions, including relationships at home and in the workplace.Whether you are a pilot, aviation professional, leader, founder, or someone working to become a better version of yourself, this episode offers practical insight into overcoming self-doubt, managing emotional reactions, learning from failure, and moving forward one step at a time.

5. 

   15 Sept 2026

   How Fighter Pilots Turn Mistakes Into Standards - Brandon Williams - #7

   Most performance problems are not talent problems they are human factors problems hiding in plain sight. Retired F-15 lieutenant colonel and airline captain Brandon Williams explains why the real breakthrough happens when you stop blaming skill and start debriefing behavior. In this conversation, Brandon discusses how military aviation uses debriefing to turn mistakes, near misses, and pressure-filled moments into meaningful lessons. He explains why truth data is more reliable than assumptions, how leaders can uncover root causes, and why effective debriefs focus on performance improvement rather than blame. You’ll learn: Why performance often depends on the perception-decision-execution cycle—not just technical skill How separating facts from stories can expose assumptions that prevent learning What makes a debrief effective and capable of changing behavior How asking “why” can help identify contributing factors and root causes Why fear, pressure, fatigue, stress, and confusion influence decision-making How leaders can create psychological safety and a strong debrief culture Why leaders should acknowledge their own mistakes to encourage others to speak up How self-debriefing and reflection can improve awareness, leadership, and future decisions Brandon and Kyle also explore the connection between human factors, emotional intelligence, threat perception, crew resource management, and leadership under pressure. The central message is clear: debriefing is not an investigation designed to assign blame. It is a process for understanding what happened, learning from it, and improving performance the next time. About my guest speaker: Brandon Williams is a US Air Force Academy graduate, a decorated Lieutenant Colonel and an F-15E fighter pilot who flew hundreds of combat hours over Iraq and Afghanistan. He's now an airline captain, a human factors professor of nearly fifteen years and the founder of LEAD-TAC, where he teaches leaders how to build situational awareness, just culture and real debrief discipline. https://brandonwilliamsspeaker.com/

6. 

   8 Sept 2026

   Anger Is Never About Anger - Bert Botta - #6

   Anger in the cockpit is rarely about anger. It is about untrained emotional reflexes, hidden wounds, and the split-second reactions that can take even highly skilled pilots off course. Kyle sits down with veteran pilot and counselor Bert Botta, whose decades at TWA and NetJets, plus his work leading professional standards and men’s leadership trainings, give him a rare lens on what really drives human breakdowns under stress. If you have ever wondered why smart, technically proficient people still make avoidable mistakes when pressure spikes, this conversation hits the nerve. You’ll discover: Why Bert says the hardest part of flying is not technical skill, but the human side How anger and stress can bypass logic and trigger automatic, destructive reactions Why awareness is the first step to changing behavior under pressure What emotional intelligence actually means in high-stakes environments How pilots can interrupt the reaction loop before it turns into a bad decision Why procedures help—but only if the emotional response does not hijack them first Kyle and Bert also connect these ideas to real-world cockpit scenarios, from engine fires to command pressure, showing why training the mind matters just as much as training the aircraft. They dig into the difference between reaction and belief, the role of personal wounds, and why many men carry unacknowledged anger that quietly shapes their relationships, leadership, and performance. This episode matters because untreated emotional reactivity does not just create tension—it creates repeatable failure. In aviation, that can mean a missed call, a broken crew dynamic, or a spiral under stress. In life, it can mean the same old patterns showing up in relationships, work, and identity. Essential listening for pilots, leaders, and anyone who wants to stop letting stress run the show. If you are ready to understand the emotional patterns behind performance, this conversation gives you a practical way to start taking the lead.

7. 

   1 Sept 2026

   How 50 Years in Aviation Taught One Rule: Stay Curious - Paul DeBrone - #5

   Curiosity is the difference between flying on autopilot and leading with judgment. Captain Paul DeBrone - 46 years at Air Canada, 25,000+ hours, and decades of training the next generation - reveals why the best pilots never stop asking questions, even when experience tempts them to start making statements.From the cockpit to everyday life, this conversation goes straight to the heart of intent vs impact, why silence never means agreement, and how a simple pause can prevent costly mistakes. Paul and Kyle break down the small habits that make or break safety: open-ended questions, threat briefings, body language, and the courage to speak up when authority gets in the way. You'll discover: Why curiosity is a leadership skill, not just a personality trait How fear of failure can actually sharpen awareness early in your career The communication mistake that makes “everything sound fine” when it isn’t Why “I could have said that better” is a leadership reset, not an excuse How threat briefings and short pauses improve decision-making under pressure Paul also shares what changed in aviation as the industry moved from captain-as-command to true crew concept, and why that shift matters far beyond the flight deck. Whether you're a pilot, a manager, a founder, or just someone trying to stop repeating the same relational mistakes, this episode shows how to own your impact instead of blaming other people for not “getting it.”Paul DeBrone spent nearly half a century in aviation, flying for Air Canada from 1973 to 2019 and serving as both a training captain and senior flight operations instructor. Today, he brings that hard-earned perspective to mentoring leaders through First Class Leaders.Essential listening if you want to communicate better, lead safer, and stay curious long enough to keep learning.

8. 

   25 Aug 2026

   The Inner Operating System: Why High Achievers Still Feel Stuck - Michael Sferrazza - #04

   What if the reason you feel stuck is not your job, your résumé, or your circumstances — but the beliefs running your decisions? In this episode, Kyle and Mike Sferrazza explore why real success is not external at all, and why the fastest way forward starts with one uncomfortable question: what if the thing holding you back is your own inner operating system? Mike Sferrazza is a corporate pilot and ICF certified coach who spent years in a career that checked every box while something underneath it stayed unsettled. By every outside measure, he had made it, a stable career and the kind of job most people would call a dream. Yet after landing flights, he would feel nothing at all: not bad, just quiet in a way that unsettled him more than any rough day ever did. Rebuilding from there taught him something that took years to accept: clarity is only part of the problem, and willingness is the other. Today, Mike walks alongside high achievers as they get honest about what they actually want, name what staying stuck is costing them, and finally act on it. He coaches people who look successful from the outside but feel quietly stuck underneath it, helping them close the gap between knowing what they want and being willing to go after it. In this conversation, Kyle and Mike unpack: Why success becomes more powerful when it is under your control How beliefs shape behavior, identity, and outcomes Why technical skill can get you in the door, but internal skill gets you hired How blame and justification quietly sabotage growth Why leadership is the missing training most pilots and high performers never receive If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but still not getting the outcomes you want, this episode will give you a sharper mirror and a clearer path forward. Perfect for pilots, high achievers, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to build a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.

9. 

   18 Aug 2026

   Why EQ Matters More than Technical Skills - Erika Armstrong - #03

   Why do so many pilots quit, clamp up, or spiral the moment the cockpit gets difficult? Erica Armstrong says the real issue is not aviation skill - it is emotional intelligence, self-leadership, and the ability to stay steady when a crew member, instructor, or captain turns toxic. With 35 years in aviation, Erica traces the lessons behind her book A Chick in the Cockpit and reveals how thick skin, boundaries, and a new mindset can change everything from training outcomes to hiring decisions. If you are a pilot, instructor, leader, or anyone who has ever been blamed, dismissed, or underestimated, this conversation hits hard in the best way. You’ll hear how Erica went from the front desk of an FBO to flying air ambulance, the 727, and business aviation, and why the toughest part of the job is often not the aircraft - it is the people. She shares what discrimination and harassment taught her, why some pilots need help long before captain upgrade, and how the industry’s obsession with “knowing everything” can actually make crews less safe. We break down: Why emotional intelligence matters more than raw knowledge in modern aviation How blame, tunnel vision, and defensiveness wreck judgment in the cockpit The difference between leadership and just trying to “deal with” difficult people Why boundaries are a leadership skill, not a weakness How flight instructors shape careers, culture, and confidence far beyond initial training Erica also tells two unforgettable stories that show what happens when hidden beliefs get exposed - one with a skeptical 727 flight engineer, and another with a boss who assumed clients would not accept a woman pilot. Both moments reveal the same truth: change starts when you stop reacting and start leading. This episode is a must-listen if you are trying to build better crews, stronger training, or a tougher mindset without losing your humanity. Powerful, practical, and brutally honest - this is leadership training every pilot should hear.

10. 

    11 Aug 2026

    Why Great Pilots Still Fail When Leadership Is Missing - #02

    Most leadership problems are not knowledge problems. They are threat problems. Kyle Freiburger reveals the simple mindset shift that stops blame, breaks the stress loop, and helps you lead under pressure - in the cockpit, at work, and in life. Kyle, a former airline captain with 10,000+ flight hours, shares the personal story behind First Class Leaders and the moment everything changed: after years of success on paper, therapy, coaching, and hard self-reflection helped him see that his stress, frustration, and relationships were being shaped by an unconscious pattern of blame and justification. From there, he built the Take the Lead framework to close the gap between intention and impact.You'll discover: Why good people still “land wrong” with others even when their intentions are solid How the brain’s survival wiring turns criticism, conflict, and pressure into a threat response The difference between blame and ownership, and why one keeps you stuck Why leadership is less about title or rank and more about choosing curiosity, humility, support, and courage How aviation incidents can happen even when pilots know the procedures, but lose the ability to think clearly under stress Kyle also breaks down real cockpit examples, from difficult captains to an airline operator dealing with repeated incidents, to show why more SOPs and more training are not enough when people are trapped in autopilot mode. The solution is not just technical skill - it is learning to interrupt the loop before it takes over.This episode is for pilots, leaders, high performers, and anyone who feels their mood, confidence, or relationships get hijacked by the people around them. If you have ever thought, “My intentions were good, but it didn’t come out that way,” this conversation will hit home.The big idea is simple: stop asking, “Why is this happening to me?” and start asking, “How can I take the lead?” That one question can change how you think, how you respond, and how you show up when it matters most. Perfect for anyone who wants to lead better, stress less, and build the kind of influence that actually lasts.

11. 

    1 Aug 2026

    The Biggest Threat to Aviation: Why Blame Is Destroying Our Cockpits - Mike Svarazza - #01

    In this inaugural episode of the First Class Leaders podcast, host Kyle Freiberger and co-host Mike Svarazza challenge the status quo of modern aviation training. While airlines invest millions in technical competency, they're missing the real crisis: the human factor. Kyle and Mike expose blame as aviation's greatest threat—and explain why it's hiding in plain sight. From intent versus impact miscommunications to the moment you perceive someone as a threat and shut down, discover how our brains are literally wired to sabotage effective leadership if we're not intentional. Through real-world cockpit stories and honest conversation, learn how to interrupt threat responses, take ownership of your communication impact, and transform challenging crew dynamics into leadership opportunities. Because the solution isn't more technology or CRM training—it's understanding yourself and the humans sitting beside you. Perfect for pilots, aviation professionals, and anyone ready to break the patterns that keep repeating.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

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Books guests

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