03/25/2026
The Business of Belonging
St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia
Met Michelle “Mace” Curran—F-16 fighter pilot and former Air Force Thunderbird—at the Future Food Industry Leadership Conference.
Here’s what struck me:
Even at the highest level of performance…
Even after achieving her dream…
She still felt like she didn’t belong.
Let that sink in.
Because in today’s workplace, only 31% of employees are meaningfully engaged.
And yet—at this very conference—some of the leading organizations in the food industry are investing an entire week in their best and brightest emerging leaders, developing the human skills that drive performance.
Why?
Because we don’t have a capability problem.
We have a belonging problem.
What makes elite teams like the Thunderbirds different?
• They normalize vulnerability
• They debrief every mistake openly
• They remove ego from performance
In most organizations, mistakes are hidden.
In elite teams, mistakes are the pathway to excellence.
That’s the gap.
Until leaders create environments where people can:
• Speak up without fear
• Admit mistakes without penalty
• Contribute without hesitation
…we will continue to leave performance on the table.
Belonging isn’t soft.
It’s infrastructure for performance.
I welcome conversations with those who are passionate about creating People-Centered Workplaces!