Col. Nicole Malachowski was the first woman to fly with the Air Force's elite flying team, the Thunderbirds. She flew combat missions, served as a flight commander and pilot instructor.
She worked in the White House and the Pentagon and, on Thursday, she talked to the National Trailer Dealers Association (NTDA) about using challenge to your advantage.
Malachowski was the keynote speaker at the association's 2026 convention in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Challenges and change are everywhere, she says, but the good news is that change is a team sport — and something that can be used in our favor.
"By turning into headwinds, an aircraft makes difficult transitions easier, smoother and more efficient," she said. Your team can do that too. Before being booked to speak, Malachowski admitted she didn't fully appreciate trucking's role in American life. But now, her view has changed.
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"The entire North American continent relies on what you do," she said. "You keep America moving."
And to do that, it takes the entire industry working together. Just like the Thunderbirds team. When she was first named to the No. 3 plane, Malachowski says her commander made her first spend three weeks training with every single member of the 125-person Thunderbirds team. She didn't get to touch the jet until she had a complete appreciation for everything those people did to support the pilots.
That appreciation went a long way. Awards programs are important, she said, but they're not the full story. Day-to-day moments of small appreciation are what matter. Those build loyalty and with that, she says, you can always expect improved performance. That trust is maintained carrying those high standards for yourself as well.
"You build trust by being trustworthy," she said.
That's the wingman contract. That means you have high expectations of both your teammates and yourself and promise to hold both your team and each other accountable.
"It's the culture, the undeniable foundation that everyone has expectations of," she said. "It allows us to fly in formation with each other."
And it allows people to ask for help, no matter how far up you are in the org chart.
Malachowski struggled to master one of the Thunderbirds' most difficult maneuvers. She said she was an anchor, weighing down the team. So she asked for help and, eventually, she nailed it.
"It felt good to get it right," she said. "But what felt better is how my teammates responded. With caring, compassion and shared commitment."
Those principles help when dealing with turbulence, too. It doesn't last forever, Malachowski said, on the ground or in the air. The secret to mastering it is in letting go.
"It's OK to loosen your grip," she said. "Choose to control the things you can control. Actively choose to be efficient with your time, talent and treasure."
