Kristin Goodwin Turns Military Background Into a Career Coaching High-Performance Teams

Time Business News

3 days ago

When Brig Gen Kristin Goodwin spots a B-2 stealth bomber in the news, she doesn't just see an aircraft. She notices the formation, the timing, and the coordination behind it. During the early 2024 strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities—the longest B-2 flight since 2001—she could tell right away how much work and preparation had gone into the mission.
While most news stories focused on the weapons and flight path, her attention went to those flying the aircraft. Even though the pilots weren't named, Goodwin later learned that one of them was a woman. This detail didn't make the headlines, but it brought back memories of her own time in the military—long before most people expected to see a woman in that seat.
Now retired from the Air Force, Goodwin has taken on a different kind of challenge, working with executives, boards, and senior teams instead of pilots and command centers. Through her company, The Delta-v, she draws from over two decades of leadership experience to help organizations perform under pressure, all without losing sight of their people.
Leading From a Place Few Women Had Gone Before
Goodwin is one of only a few women to have flown the B-2 Spirit, a stealth aircraft known for its long-range precision and classified flight plans. In 2012, she became Vice Commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, the B-2's home. Two years later, she took command of the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, becoming the first woman in Air Force history to lead a U.S. bomb wing.
Still, her time in the cockpit was just one part of a larger story spanning more than 20 years and multiple mission areas. She has over 3,000 flight hours, including 187 in combat, and has led organizations across space, cyber, nuclear deterrence, and joint operations. In each role, she was responsible for ensuring readiness and supporting her teams under demanding conditions.
First Lessons in Leading Without Fear
In 1997, long before she held a general's rank, Kristin Goodwin was the 25-year-old commander of an EC-130 aircraft on a mission over Bosnia. Her crew included 15 people—all men, many older than her.
During the flight, they encountered multiple emergencies. There was an in-flight engine fire, a medical emergency, a sudden decompression requiring oxygen masks, and an enemy fighter jet that launched to intercept them.
Although the mission was a success, what stood out to Goodwin wasn't the outcome, but how everyone showed up for each other when it counted.
'It began with me getting to know my crew and building trust; by knowing them… I mean truly knowing them,' she said. 'I came to know their superpowers and how best to leverage them. They came to trust that I would clearly communicate the mission, empower them and lead them to coherence.'
She remembers the team gathering afterward to debrief over coffee and cookies, brewed and baked on the flight home. No one overreacted or lost focus, trusting one another to handle the situation effectively. That early experience changed her view of leadership, showing her that pressure is best met with trust and preparation.
Bringing Humanity to the Highest Levels
Over the next two decades, Goodwin moved into senior roles across the Air Force and, eventually, the newly formed U.S. Space Force. As Chief of Staff for Space Operations Command, she was responsible for 4,100 personnel operating across 134 sites worldwide. She also led the development of the first field command structure, advised on defense planning, and helped establish systems for intelligence, infrastructure, and operations.
At the U.S. Air Force Academy, Goodwin served as Commandant of Cadets, where she designed a 47-month leadership curriculum and launched programs to improve retention, mental health, and cadet connection. Among those programs was SAFE HAVEN, a mobile app offering real-time support, and the 'Safe to Report' policy, which allowed cadets to seek help without fear of backlash.
Throughout her career, Kristin Goodwin has led with the belief that people do their best work when they feel valued, supported, and understand their purpose.
'Everything really comes down to relationships,' she said. 'Get to know people, care about them, ask questions, develop rapport. We all need connection.'
Coaching Others Through the Fog
After retiring from active duty, Goodwin founded The Delta-v, a leadership and strategy firm that helps senior leaders operate effectively through moments of uncertainty and change. As CEO and founder, she works directly with Fortune 500 companies, technology startups, nonprofits, and defense contractors, offering personalized guidance on strategy, operations, AI transformation, and culture.
Her background in aerospace, healthcare, cybersecurity, and defense gives her a clear understanding of what it takes to lead in high-pressure industries. Rather than rely on theory, she draws on her operational background to help teams improve clarity, cohesion, and performance.
At BAE Systems, she advises on electronic warfare strategy, and at Capitol Defense Consulting, she's helped roll out critical systems for the Department of Defense. Whether she's guiding a company through AI adoption or helping a board reset direction, her approach is grounded in lived experience and built for real-world complexities.
Tools, Trust, and the Time to Use Them
In addition to coaching, Goodwin designs and leads custom board retreats through The Delta-v. These sessions give senior leaders space to pause, reflect, and work through challenges that shape the future of their organizations.
Retreats are built around each board's priorities—whether that's governance, alignment, or collaboration at the executive level. Her facilitation style is hands-on and people-centered, helping teams solve problems, build trust, and move forward together.
'Extraordinary things happen when talented people unite behind a common mission,' she said.
Goodwin also shares her insights through speaking engagements, delivering talks on topics like 'The Soul of Leadership,' 'Human-Centric AI Transformation,' and 'Strategic Navigation Through Chaos.' Her presentations combine practical tools with reflection, encouraging leaders to think more deeply about their impact on others.
Where Leadership and Life Move in Tandem
Kristin Goodwin may not spend her days flying anymore, but she still starts them early. Most mornings, she's up at 5:00 a.m. for a workout before jumping into coaching calls, planning sessions, and team workshops.
She now serves as COO of TechWise, a defense consulting firm that works in training, systems integration, and new technology. Previously, she worked as interim COO of Caribou Thunder, where she helped drive a 67% revenue increase by improving its structure and culture.
Outside of work, Goodwin stays active in her community. She serves on several boards, mentors others through professional women's organizations, and is deeply involved with Home Front Military Network, a nonprofit that helps active-duty service members and veterans access financial and mental health resources during times of need.
Most of her personal time is spent outdoors, whether it's long-distance biking, running, or hiking. The rest is devoted to her greatest accomplishment: being a mom to her two school-aged daughters. Her schedule may be full, but 'work-life balance' isn't part of her vocabulary.
'I prefer the term 'Life Harmony,'' she said. 'As a mom and professional, it is not so much 'balance' as learning to live in the moment, clarifying priorities, and never taking myself too seriously.'
Impact That Can't be Quantified
Titles and roles offer a glimpse into Goodwin's career, but they don't tell the whole story, leaving out much of what makes it meaningful. Her impact shows up most in the people she's supported—whether in the military or in executive circles.
One reminder sits framed on her desk: a letter from Staff Sgt. Desmond Awadzi, a young airman from Ghana who served under her command at Barksdale. She saw his potential early and nominated him for Officer Training School, where he was later accepted.
In his letter, he thanked her for believing in him, for noticing where he came from, and for helping him see what was possible. Goodwin keeps that letter not as a symbol of achievement, but as a personal reminder of the lasting influence leaders can have when they invest in others.
'Helping others write their next great chapter, opening doors that may otherwise remain closed, that is the type of leadership I work to always embody.'
TIME BUSINESS NEWS