Mandy Hickson: Former RAF Pilot
- Travels from: Winchester, UK
- **Fee range: On Request
Keynote Topics
Motivation
For Women’s Groups
Hickson is focused on providing women with support and inspiration in the form of Mandy’s remarkable story. It is a story which started with dreaming about being a fast jet pilot at the age of 13 and culminated in her leading an entirely male dominated Front Line Tornado Squadron on operations.
Without a doubt most women face some really tough challenges in their working lives:
- Maintaining that essential work/life balance in a demanding environment
- Overcoming innate risk avoidance tendencies
- A wavering of confidence and self-belief
- Amazingly, still having to break through the glass ceiling
Hickson is focused on providing women with support and inspiration in the form of Mandy’s remarkable story. It is a story which started with dreaming about being a fast jet pilot at the age of 13 and culminated in her leading an entirely male dominated Front Line Tornado Squadron on operations.
Of course, this was not a straightforward journey; it contained apparently insurmountable setbacks and immense pressures in a hugely demanding environment.
Mandy shares the strategies and approach she used to get there – and delivers them with high energy and humour that will engage.
Read Full Bio
Mandy Hickson is a former Royal Air Force pilot and Human Factors facilitator. She was the only female pilot on her Front Line Tornado Squadron, flying multi million pound fast jets. Mandy has been the keynote speaker at hundreds of events and is an inspiration to women across the UK.
Mandy has also operated in hostile environments, including patrolling the ‘No Fly’ zone over Iraq. Carrying the latest weaponry, along with her unit, she was ready to drop ordnance on any target in support of operations.
After a turbulent route to the top, Mandy was awarded a RAF flying scholarship at the age of 17, long before she even passed her driving test. However, despite her achievements, she failed the computer based tests required by the RAF. Undeterred, driven by determination and passion, Mandy persuaded the RAF to take her on as a test case, thereby overcoming seemingly undefeatable hurdles.
In her speeches, Mandy Hickson relays her experiences of working with an elite team of fast jet operators with command and clarity, outlining the many ways in which the same values can be applied within any environment. Notably, she demonstrates the importance of remaining calm under pressure and leading from the front, to get the best from herself and her team.
A trained Human Resources Facilitator, Mandy is an expert on interactions among humans. This affords her a detailed understanding of the role of human beings in complex systems. As a result, she applies this expertise, as well as personal experiences of calculating risk and making decisions under pressure, to businesses. Recently, Mandy Hickson founded Inspiring Women for Work, which involves tailor made events designed to help women realise their full potential and regain confidence to return to work.
Mandy Hickson is a highly demanded keynote speaker across a range of business sectors, where she talks with humour and great passion to inspire those around her. She has been invited to share her insights with some of the most successful organisations across the world where she describes the strategies & behaviours that can adopted when the stakes are at their highest.
She has a wealth of experience to share from working in a male dominated environment, from battling imposter syndrome to juggling life as a working mother of two young children.
As a coach, mentor and facilitator Mandy Hickson inspires others, covering the core areas of human performance factors; decision making, communication, leadership, behaviour, workload, conflict, fatigue and stress management.
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Mandy Hickson | Former RAF Pilot
Videos
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Overview of User Reviews:
Mandy's presentations have garnered high praise from various professionals, highlighting her ability to engage and inspire diverse audiences. Reviewers consistently commend her dynamic speaking style, which combines humor, personal anecdotes, and relevant themes that resonate with listeners. Many noted her passion and enthusiasm, which not only entertained but also evoked deep reflection among attendees.
Strengths:
- Highly engaging and relatable speaking style
- Ability to connect personal experiences to broader themes
- Inspires and empowers audiences, particularly in leadership and team dynamics
- Tailors content to resonate with specific values and experiences of the audience
Weaknesses:
- No significant weaknesses mentioned in the reviews.
Overall, Mandy's talks are described as impactful and motivational, making her a highly recommended speaker for conferences and events.
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Keynote speeches typically range from 30 to 90 minutes, with the duration determined by the speaker’s expertise, the event’s agenda, and audience preferences. Keynote speeches often include a combination of inspirational stories, practical insights, and actionable advice tailored to the event’s theme or objectives.
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