I’ve previously offered a few leadership lessons from the airplane cockpit and from the aircraft hangar. A recent weekend course at SimCom Flight Training Center provides another opportunity for some aviation-focused leadership lessons – this time, from the flight simulator.
It’s been a while since I’ve flown in the pilot’s seat. The flight simulator-based program presented a chance to refresh my knowledge and sharpen my skills. Simulators are a wonderful tool for pilots. In the simulator, one can create hair-raising scenarios such as in-flight fires, electrical failures, hazardous weather, engine failures or a combination of these. Emergencies can be addressed and managed in a safe environment where the consequence of failure is little more than a bruised ego.
The simulator session was personally rewarding. I performed far better than I expected, even in one of the simulators that represented a larger and more powerful aircraft than I had previously flown. Surprisingly, my skills had not deteriorated nearly as much as I expected, in view of my extended absence from the cockpit.
This simulator experience yielded three valuable lessons that are equally applicable to pilots and leaders.1. Confidence and humility are opposite, but equally important traits.
There is a saying in aviation: “There are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots.” A healthy measure of confidence is important for pilots, just as it is for leaders. Confidence allows us to test boundaries, to grow and to learn. Without sufficient confidence, one will never learn his or her true capabilities.
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| 737-800 Flight Simulator - A Great Way to Sharpen Skills Photo By Derin |
However, an excess of confidence can have serious consequences. The bold, overconfident pilot disregards the lessons of others. He or she believes that the limitations of the aircraft, the weather, or one’s physical state can be minimized or dismissed. According to a study published by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, an overconfident leader will exhibit similar characteristics. Leaders who believe that they are invincible or know all there is to know will disregard the input of others, push their own agendas and micromanage their teams.
Great leaders and great pilots are skilled and confident. Nevertheless, they also possess the opposing quality of humility, learned through experience. Humble individuals don’t shirk blame when things go wrong and they acknowledge their limits. They realize that success depends on the right combination of factors – and they, personally represent just one element of that equation.
2. An ingrained skill never loses its luster
“It’s just like riding a bike.” This is well known affirmation demonstrates that deeply ingrained skills are retained. Pilots who have flown for many years and possess thousands of hours often find that a refresher class can quickly renew rusty skills. On the other hand, a freshly minted private pilot who abandons flying for an equal period must conquer significantly greater skill deficit if he or she returns to the cockpit. Skill retention depends on the recency of skill practice, but the depth of skill development is also an important factor.
Leadership skills also benefit from long-term development. Good leaders possess strong listening skills and excellent analytical capability. They see the big picture by thinking strategically and they know how to navigate an organization. Leadership skills are built through use. Leaders who shun team members, preferring to remain closeted in their offices don’t have many opportunities to practice leadership skills. Likewise, those who avoid projects, committees and task forces lose valuable chances to build networks within the organization. They also miss opportunities to practice the art of working with individuals of diverse talent and backgrounds.
3. Attitude matters
Want to master a difficult task? Don’t view it as a “difficult task.” Self talk and general attitude influence outcomes more than we realize. Noted business author Jon Gordon has written extensively on the benefits of embracing every challenge with an open, positive mind.
Flying the simulator presents challenge after challenge. Nearly all simulator experiences are fraught with emergencies, deteriorating weather and equipment failures. Despite the grueling nature of a simulator session, most pilots walk away with a sense of reward and accomplishment. We learn through experience; the depth of the lessons learned is proportional to the significance of the experience.
Leaders face challenging situations on many fronts. Constantly shifting priorities, doing more with less and extreme demands on time are common in the contemporary workplace. These situations can be a source of frustration or can be energetically embraced and viewed as valuable experiences. Each experience is a building block of ongoing skill enhancement and professional development. These reinforcing experiences are the roots that grow to create deeply ingrained skills.
The recommended follow-up readings for this post are Soup by Jon Gordon and Teaching Confidence in the Clouds: An Instructor's Guide to Using Desktop Flight Simulators, by Thomas Gilmore. Soup is a business fairy tale and a quick read that illustrates the value of positive thinking in difficult situations. Gilmore's book describes the value of simple, computer-based flight simulators in building pilot confidence.
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