The Lost Recording Session with Trey Morriss: What Happens When the Plan Fails but Leadership Shows Up
As someone who teaches preparedness, resilience, continuity, and leadership, I often remind people of a simple truth:
Plans matter. But plans alone do not prepare you.
That truth hit me square in the face during a recent episode of the Act ASAP Podcast with retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Trey Morriss, author of DOOM 34.
Trey and I were deep into one of the most meaningful conversations I have had on the podcast. We were discussing leadership under pressure, military versus civilian communication, trust, accountability, endurance, and what real preparedness looks like when things do not go according to plan.
Then I realized something.
I had forgotten to hit record.
Yes. Really.
More than 40 minutes into the interview, I looked over and saw the recording button had never been pressed.
For a brief moment, I felt that sinking feeling every leader knows.
Well… now what?
- Do I panic?
- Do I shut down?
- Do I let frustration steal the moment?
Or do I do exactly what I tell others to do when disruption occurs?
Adapt.
That moment became a live demonstration of the very lesson Trey and I were discussing.
When the Plan Breaks, Leadership Begins
One of the core ideas in my book, Why Plans Don’t Prepare You, is this:
People do not follow binders. They follow leadership.
A written plan has value.
Procedures matter.
Checklists help.
But disruption rarely unfolds exactly the way you planned.
Technology fails.
People miss things.
Circumstances change.
Leadership is what fills the gap between the plan and reality.
That happened in real time during this interview.
Fortunately, I had a full transcript of our conversation and part of the interview captured on video. The conversation itself was not lost.
And more importantly, the lessons certainly were not.
Trey Morriss and DOOM 34
Before we dive into the leadership lessons from our conversation, I want you to hear directly from Colonel Trey Morriss, retired U.S. Air Force aviator and author of DOOM 34. The video below contains the recorded portion of our Act ASAP Podcast interview, where Trey shares powerful insights on trust, communication, endurance, and what leadership really looks like when the pressure is on.
— The Lost Recording Session, Act ASAP Podcast
Imagine this:
- Seven B-52 bombers
- Thirty-five nonstop hours
- Fourteen thousand miles
- Fifty-seven airmen
- Only one with combat experience
That mission demanded extraordinary discipline, endurance, communication, and trust.
But what struck me most during our conversation was how relevant those lessons still are today.
You may never sit inside a B-52 cockpit.
But you will face pressure.
You will face uncertainty.
You will face moments when things do not go according to plan.
The question is never if.
The question is always:
How will you lead when it happens?
Five Leadership Lessons from Our Conversation
1. Trust Is Built on Credibility
Trey said something powerful:
“Trust is grounded in credibility.”
People trust leaders who demonstrate competence, consistency, and character.
Trust is not granted because of a title.
It is earned.
2. Communication Must Be Clear
- In a bomber crew, confusion can cost lives.
- In business, confusion can cost money, reputation, and organizational stability.
- In families, confusion creates fear.
Clear communication builds calm.
3. People Need to Understand Why
Military leadership has evolved.
Trey pointed out that younger generations increasingly want to understand the “why” behind the mission.
That is not weakness.
That is buy-in.
People commit more deeply when they understand intent.
4. Culture Happens by Design or by Default
One of the strongest points Trey made was this:
Culture becomes either:
- What you intentionally build
or - What you allow to happen
That applies to military units, businesses, nonprofits, schools, and families.
If you do not shape culture, culture will shape itself.
Usually not in your favor.
5. Preparedness Is Leadership
Trey repeated one of my favorite principles back to me during the interview:
Preparedness is leadership.
I appreciated hearing that from someone who spent decades operating in high-risk environments.
- Preparedness is not fear.
- Preparedness is responsibility.
Preparedness says:
“I may not control the disruption, but I can control how ready I am to respond.”
That mindset changes everything.
The Mission Continues
The recording mishap taught me something I already knew, but needed to experience again.
Even the person teaching preparedness can miss a step.
That is not failure.
Failure happens only when we refuse to adapt.
Because I have the transcript and partial recording, I will still be sharing insights from this conversation in multiple formats.
Even better, Trey has graciously agreed to return for a focused follow-up interview.
In Part 2, we will dive deeper into:
- The DOOM 34 mission
- Leadership under extreme pressure
- Communication during crisis
- Lessons for leaders today
And I promise…
I will hit record.
Final Thought: Preparedness Is Leadership
Preparedness is not about perfection.
It never was.
It is about reducing chaos, increasing clarity, and responding with confidence when things go sideways.
Because eventually, something will.
When that happens, remember this:
The plan may fail.
The mission does not have to.
Stay Informed & Stay Safe,
Daniel Kilburn
Emergency Action Planning
Preparedness Is Leadership
PS
If this conversation with Trey Morris reinforced anything, it is this: disruption rarely follows the script.
The leaders who perform best under pressure are not the ones with the thickest binder on the shelf—they are the ones who have built trust, practiced communication, and developed the discipline to adapt when things go sideways.
That is the central message of my book, Why Plans Don’t Prepare You.
If you are responsible for protecting a family, leading a team, running a business, or safeguarding a community, this book was written for you.
Get your copy and begin building real readiness today at What’s The Plan Dan – Book Page.
And stay tuned. Part 2 of my conversation with Trey Morriss is coming soon, where we will dive deeper into DOOM 34 and the leadership lessons every modern leader needs.
Preparedness Is Leadership.
This article was developed with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed, edited, fact-checked, and approved by Daniel Kilburn. All opinions, conclusions, and recommendations reflect the author’s professional experience and judgment.