From Leading in the Air Force to Coaching Leaders to Perform Better

When Dr Mike Smith began his active service in the United States Air Force (USAF) in the mid-1980s, he never could have imagined he would end up as an executive leadership coach helping CEOs to lead their businesses with the same purpose and precision he did over more than 25 years leading teams in the USAF. Named the Leading Executive Coach 2026 (Global) on the back of the services he provides in this space, we take a closer look at Dr Mike’s career, from his Air Force days to now, and explore the coaching tactics that have led to his recognition in this feature.  

Back in 1983, Dr Mike Smith enlisted in the United States Air Force, beginning what would become a 26-year service. Over the course of an illustrious career, Dr Mike held leadership positions across the likes of the Air Education & Training Command Headquarters and several Honor Guard units. The highlight of his time in the USAF came when he was selected to serve as the First Seargent of the elite Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, where he travelled the world proudly representing the men and women of the Air Force.

Serving in the Thunderbirds is the honour of a lifetime, but it is the ever-changing nature of this environment – commanders rotate biannually, pilots change often, and enlisted members have an average tenure of three years – that proved the most effective in developing Dr Mike as a leader. This is because, despite this constant change, the squadron operates at the highest level. For Dr Mike, this can be attributed to the embedded culture every member of the team adheres to, which creates a rock-solid foundation of accountability and trust.

Ultimately, it is this which he hopes to capture through his coaching, consulting, and training work, bringing this lesson to corporate leaders and helping them to build cultures across their own organisations which can endure change, drive performance, and deliver the results they seek. Of course, there was so much more that Dr Mike learned across his tenure in both the Thunderbirds and the Air Force more generally, but what will always stay with him is the true meaning service, discipline, and people-first leadership that it stands for.

In late 2008, Dr Mike made the decision to retire from active duty, making the transition to the civilian sector and becoming a corporate leader. His initial role at Berkshire Hathaway Engineering saw Dr Mike provide his services as a leader, mentor, and guide at all levels, paving the way for his career as an executive coach. Then, following a period as the CEO of a global coaching company group, Dr Mike started his own company, Smith Research & Development, LLC, where he works as a public speaker, coach, and consultant serving small organisations, Fortune 500 companies, and everyone and everything in between.

Focusing on topics including mental toughness and approval addiction, Dr Mike strives to drive meaningful change through intentional actions, guided by his mission of providing a top-notch education through content that is not only current and relevant, but also tailored to each individual audience. To keep people engaged and entertained, Dr Mike utilises helpful tools including keynotes, seminars, retreats, workshops, or coaching on a group or individual level, with his diverse offerings making sure that his message always gets through.

Whether an executive wants to create successful leaders, develop high-performing teams, solve problems, or a build a world-class culture, Dr Mike can help. Many of those he works with feel confused, lost, or stuck, which is no way to live. Not only do these emotions disrupt day-to-day life, they also have a knock-on effect on other areas too – relationships, finances, work, health, and so on. Dr Mike has identified that these feelings are shaped by two things in our minds: false perception and a lack of alignment with clarity and purpose.

Despite how detrimental these feelings can be in our lives, Dr Mike’s message is that we all have the power to harness our inner energy, leverage our stories, and create impact to positively change the world. To achieve this, one needs intent, focus, purpose, and practice, and this is where the services of Dr Mike and Smith Research & Development come in. As Dr Mike explained: “My desire is to help as many people as I can to use their life experiences as stepping stones towards fulfilment – instead of campgrounds of emptiness.”

“With the right mindset and perspective, our experiences shape our stories and truly give our lives meaning.”

Besides his extensive experience in the Air Force, Dr Mike also operates atop a wealth of qualifications, including a PhD in industrial and organisational psychology from Walden University, a master’s in human relations from the University of Oklahoma, and a Bachelor of Science in workforce education. This is just the beginning, as he is also certified by the Six Sigma Global Institute, the International Coaching Federation, and the HR Certification Institute, to name just a few, underpinning the effectiveness of his coaching.

The unique blend of first-hand military experience and an abundance of qualifications has led Dr Mike to develop a series of core values reflective of all that both he and his work represent, with these spanning professionalism, collaboration, humanity, and equity. To say these values are embedded in his sessions would be an understatement, and regardless of whether he is delivering leadership coaching and organisational consulting, workshops, keynote speeches, or more, they remain an ever-present part of his process.

Beyond shaping his approach to consulting, the knowledge and expertise Dr Mike boasts have also found their way into a book authored by this veteran of Air Force, ‘Erasing the Line in the Sand’. An Amazon Bestseller across four categories, the book is all about navigating societal acceptance and belonging, from the unique perspective of an ex-serviceman. The book has been acclaimed in the approximately two-and-a-half years since release, as suggested by the many five-star reviews it has across Amazon and beyond.

Just one of these glowing reviews comes from former NFL Super Bowl Champion and fellow keynote speaker Jimmy Farris. Jimmy wrote: “This book is an important read for anyone struggling with acceptance, particularly veteran and former service members struggling to transition back into civilian life. ‘Erasing the Line in the Sand’ is an easy, enjoyable read. Kudos to Dr. Dr Mike for the excellent book!” Many reviews come from people who Dr Mike has previously coached, highlighting the lasting impact of his insights.

And impact is what it is all about for Dr Mike, who has even appeared across ABC, FOX, NBC, CBS, and the CW to discuss the likes of executive coaching, people success, and more. All of this positions Dr Mike as one of the foremost authorities in global leadership coaching today, and it is our privilege to champion him as such with the title of Leading Executive Coach 2026 (Global) in this feature. More on the services Dr Mike Smith provides through Smith Research & Development, LLC can be found at the link below.

Contact Details

Contact: Dr Mike Smith

Company: Smith Research & Development, LLC

Web Address: https://docmikesmith.com/