.svg){kind=icon}
At the very beginning of your remarkable career – whom did you relate to the most?
Nicola Winter: My mom and my Grandmother. They were both hundert precent fierce, strong women, who gave no thoughts whatsoever to other peoples opinion ot to the limitations in other people’s minds. With that it didnt even occur to me until my mid-20s, that people viewed women differently than men. I now try to raise my daughter like that.
I also drew strength from direct examples in my professional world – instructors and senior pilots who combined precision with calm leadership, regardless of gender. What inspired me most were not just their skills, but their resilience, their clarity in chaos, and their quiet confidence. I wanted to learn how to be that kind of anchor – for myself and eventually for others. Every single person I have met to date, that is truly great in their job has that quiet confidence in them, that doesn’t need to show off anymore or worse, put people down to lift themselves up.
2001 – women gain the right to unrestricted service in all branches of the German Bundeswehr – 2004 you become the second female fighter pilot. Which of your qualities helped you to get chosen for the fighter program?
Nicola Winter: I think three qualities made the difference: determination, positive naivete, and the ability to stay calm under pressure.
Initially I had no idea, how hard it copuld be or get – or how to slove issues along the way. And not worrying about problems until they actually exist, is a great ability to have. I also very quickly learned that, being really short and rather tiny, I would never be “manlier” or physically superior to the guys. So, I didn't try to prove that I was “as good as the guys,” but focused on being the best version of myself. To use my uniqueness as a strength and draw from my personal abilities to get to the best result possible.
I've always loved flying, but what helped me through the toughest phases of fighter pilot training was mental endurance. At first, it was challenging not to take criticism personally. But over time, I developed the ability to see feedback as a valuable tool for further development. Adapting and persevering – especially in unpleasant situations – became routine. In an environment where women were not yet accepted as a matter of course in the cockpit, it wasn't volume that counted, but a professional attitude and quiet determination.
Each flight of a fighter jet requires seamless collaboration starting with the ground crew, crowned by the pilot – where lies the difference in how women and men navigate leadership?
Nicola Winter: In high-performance teams like in a fighter squadron, leadership is less about ego and more about trust – and that’s where women often lead differently. I’ve observed that women tend to lead more relationally – they listen actively, include others early, and are more attuned to team dynamics. That doesn’t mean men can’t do that too – many do. But while traditional leadership often emphasizes authority, I’ve seen female leaders naturally emphasize connection. In my experience, that leads to more psychological safety and stronger team performance.
You seem to reach for the stars (literally) in all your career beginnings – Air Force, management consulting, air rescue, ESA astronaut – what is your way to lead yourself to excellence?
Nicola Winter:I just love what I do. Everything I do, is for the love of doing it, for the path that I am walking, never for any exterior motivs like recognition from others or being better than anyone else. The key factor in this is, that me reaching my goals and my happiness only depends on me, no one else. I other people do or don’t see what I do, if they value it or not, if I get external validation or not does not impact my goals and my path at all. It’s true self empowerment.
The other trick is that I don't chase one specific goal but rather the underlying core. That way I have many options to be successful. For example, I never wanted to be “Germany’s First Female Astronaut”. For one, it depends on a lot of uncontrollable, external factors. For two, it is a hollow goal, as the experience doesnt change at all if someone else with the same passport or gender has taken the path before. The core of that goal to me is adventure, cutting-edge science and a positive impact on others. As that, the actual fulfillment can take many different forms and I am certain to reach the goal
Thank you for paving the way for many women in the field! Looking back, which mistake would you avoid at all cost as a young woman lit by excitement about (aero)space, defense and science?
Nicola Winter: Don’t change yourself to fit in. Don’t focus on other people’s strength – focus on your own strength, talents and goals and try to build on those.
The single greatest hurdle that I observe in other women, is that they are too self-conscious. They assume people will think less of them because they are young women (or short women). And then they change their behavior according to that false belief and turn it into a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you rather assume, that you are the storm that will knock everyone over and nothing can stand in your way, you will be that storm.
Thank you, Nicola for your inspiring insights!
