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When work becomes war: Welcome to the era of 'Top Gun' CEO
Business Standard|July 31, 2023
Increasing number of companies are turning to military-style training to prepare executives to handle uncertainty and flux
- EMMA GOLDBERG
When work becomes war: Welcome to the era of 'Top Gun' CEO

"Your company is about to go on a rescue," declared Christian Boucousis.

"One of your company members went out to do reconnaissance and was shot down. Now you're going to rescue your teammate and bring them home."

Boucousis, a former fighter pilot, is CEO of an organisation called Afterburner, which promises to teach "the same precision and accuracy as elite military aviators" to corporate clients. His firm has worked with Nike, Pepsi, Bank of America and many other brands. These businesses aren't struggling to save teammates shot down by enemy squadrons. Their problems? Market competition, shareholder pressures, employee turnover.

Some corporate executives find it thrilling, though, to spend a few hours feeling less like C-suite dwellers and more like Tom Cruise. Even for a significant cost: Afterburner's "Top Gun Experience" training starts at $10,000 for a small team and can climb to $100,000 for a larger one.

"If you lose sight of the airplane you're fighting against, you lose the fight," Boucousis said. "We use that as a metaphor - if you lose sight of your business objectives, you're not going to achieve them."

This story is from the July 31, 2023 edition of Business Standard.

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This story is from the July 31, 2023 edition of Business Standard.

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