Aviation is an action-oriented activity. In all but extreme cases, action occurs after careful analysis and thought. The nature of the action applied will influence the outcome of the flight. Leadership is also heavily oriented toward action. Teams can succeed or fail based on the quality, speed or impact of the action taken by the leader.
Aviators and leaders often find themselves in situations that call for a similar orientation to action. Although there are many variations of the circumstances that call for different kinds of decision-making, we will examine three scenarios.
Aviators and leaders often find themselves in situations that call for a similar orientation to action. Although there are many variations of the circumstances that call for different kinds of decision-making, we will examine three scenarios.
1. “It’s Doing It - Again.” In-flight gremlins have a way of revisiting their hosts, resulting in the phrase “it’s doing it – again.” Whether the situation is a flickering warning light, a distinctive sound or an inoperative gauge, pilots know that it’s not wildly uncommon to encounter a repeat of a recent problem. It may indicate that the wrong fix was applied – or it could indicate that more needed to be done.
Leaders can apply this valuable lesson to any situation that does not respond to the initial intervention. When a project goes off track, a leader may jump in with a sure-fire cure. When the situation is not corrected as the leader expects, he or she must step back and examine. Was the correction itself flawed, or should additional action have been taken?
2. Ouch! Undo the Action: Certain key aviation principles are repeatedly reinforced in the flight training process. This form of repetition helps the aviator to instinctively act as he or she was taught, when circumstances warrant. Undoing the most recent action immediately after something goes wrong is an example of this kind of instinctive action. If, for example, the aircraft responds in an unexpected manner after lowering the flaps, immediately raise the flaps. The “undo” response can prevent a minor mishap from deteriorating into a serious situation.
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| Instrument Landings Require Decisive Action Photo by Global Jet |
This aviation tenet provides a wonderful leadership lesson, especially for situations involving personnel management. A good leader stays in tune with his or her people. The leader knows how a staff member should respond to changes in work assignments, responsibilities or role. If an unexpected reaction occurs, the leader should immediately review the situation with the employee and, if necessary, reverse the most recent action. Ignoring signs of misalignment or discontent may cause a high performing employee to become temporarily or permanently disengaged. A simple “undo” may be the most appropriate solution.
3. No Looking Back: In most circumstances, an aviator will have time to think carefully and analyze the situation at hand. There are times, however, when immediate action is critical. In such situations, the urgency to act is unequivocally clear. An excellent example is a landing decision during instrument flight conditions. (As discussed in the previous post, the term “instrument flight conditions” refers to those times when there is no outside visual reference. Flying in clouds or fog are examples of instrument flight.) Without relating too much technical aviation detail, the procedure for landing an airplane in this situation involves a minimum altitude. Once this altitude is reached, the pilot must immediately initiate action (a climb and perhaps a turn) if the pilot cannot see the "runway environment." There is no time for analysis. Failure to follow the published procedure (called the “missed approach procedure”) can have devastating consequences.
On rare occasion, leaders can encounter situations where swift decisions, based solely on experience, training or instinct, must be implemented. In these instances, the investment of time required for analysis may result in significant harm. Although these situations are not common in the leadership world, they do occur. Disasters such as fire or workplace violence may require a leader to eschew analysis in favor of swift action.
Aviation and leadership are action-oriented activities. The nature of the action required depends on the situation, individuals involved and presence of influencing factors. A strong leader – or a skilled pilot – can be counted on to apply action in a manner and measure that fits the circumstances.
The recommended readings related to this post are From Values to Action, by Harry Kraemer and Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters, by Chesley Sullenberger and Jeffrey Zaslow. The former provides key lessons for leaders seeking to translate values into action. The latter is co-authored by the captain of one of aviation's most famous examples of no-looking back decision-making: the 2009 US Airways Hudson River landing.
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