Leadership and the Art of Landing

Most pilots will agree that an airplane wants to fly. It is aerodynamically designed to fly when sufficient airflow over the wing creates lift. In simple terms, it means an airplane will naturally take flight without much assistance from the pilot. Taking off is one of the simpler aspects of flying; most student pilots can learn the process by the fourth or fifth flight lesson.

Landing the airplane is quite different.  When one understands that the airplane wants to fly, it is easy to accept that it does not want to land.  Even the most seasoned, senior airline captains will admit to occasions where the airplane seems to have a mind of its own, preferring to stay aloft despite their textbook-perfect control inputs.

Student pilots must master landings before they are allowed to fly solo and many struggle with this phase of instruction. The difficulties that budding pilots face as they learn to land provide some lessons of value for leaders, and in fact, for everyone.

1. Look long

My favorite flight instructor - actually one who guided me through an advanced phase of my flight training - instilled a valuable mantra that I now instinctively use: "look down the runway, don't fixate on the threshold. Look long." Magically, it works. 

Look Long When Landing
Photo by Lillian LeBlanc



As leaders, we often fixate on the here and now. We immerse ourselves in the crisis du jour, jumping in headlong to resolve issues before they become problems.  Those of us who are honest will admit that, at least on occasion, our reaction has caused more difficulties than it has solved. We can benefit from looking long - in this case, beyond the immediate issue. The long view can help to put the crisis or budding problem into context, providing opportunity to think through alternatives and apply the best solution. Without a long view, the best solution might be missed, since it may not be the one that first comes to mind.

2. Don't over-control

Study a new or minimally experienced pilot as he or she enters the landing phase of flight. The tendency to over control is almost universal. Push forward to descend....quick, too much, pull back...no, push forward even more.  The control inputs become increasingly hurried and exaggerated in an attempt to fix the previous excessive action. Patient and skilled flight instructors intervene at this point, illustrating the art of finesse, a light touch and a gentle hand. They demonstrate for the student how fine landings emerge from this combination.

Over-controlling in the leadership world manifests itself through micromanagement. Well-meaning bosses jump in, monitoring the team's every move or personally taking over key tasks to ensure that a perfect outcome is achieved without a blip of any kind. Under these circumstances, team members don't have an opportunity to learn through trial and error. They often feel demoralized and undervalued.  The boss' desired outcome may be achieved, but the process to arrive at the destination was painful for the team.

3. Sometimes good really is good enough

There's a tongue-in-cheek adage in aviation: "Any landing you walk away from is deemed a success." Although meant in jest, the lesson is that perfection - especially when landing an airplane - can be most elusive. Many factors impact the outcome of an approach to land. Achieving a "greaser", where the tires gently kiss the asphalt, is usually attributable to a dash of luck along with skill.

There is a great deal of emphasis on excellence in the business world. Leaders are constantly challenged to be great and to accept nothing less than 100%.  Pushing excellence and driving to high achievement is admirable, but leaders are working with the human element. A wide range of factors affect human performance; a multiplier sets in when working with a group of human beings.  Great leaders set high goals, but understand that there is often a need for compromise on the road to perfection. Sometimes good truly is good enough, resulting in a fine outcome and enough energy left for the entire team to celebrate its accomplishment.

Landing an airplane is an art. It involves coaxing the airplane to do the opposite of that for which it was designed.  Leading people is also an art. The very best leaders among us can effectively guide a team to achieve things they never dreamed possible and feel happy and fulfilled in the process. Like pilots in the landing phase, these individuals lead with a long view, avoid over-controlling and understand when it is desirable to stop short in the quest for perfection.

Recommended readings for this post are Leadership is an Art, by Max Depree and Making Perfect Landings in Light Airplanes, by Ron Fowler. The first is an excellent guide for any leader, new or seasoned. Written by the former CEO of Herman Miller, it explains the importance of  human element in effective leadership.  The second is a timeless, step-by-step guide to help all pilots maximize the chance of completing a flight with a "greaser."