That's Not My Job

A recent story in the Wall Street Journal reviews several unnerving incidents of close calls between aircraft. The article focuses on the apparent safety tradeoffs within the aviation industry. Overall, we’re safer in the air, but the same is not true on the ground.

My take away from this article was a bit different. As I read the descriptions disaster averted through pilots’ quick actions, it was clear that big-picture thinking played an important role. Looking beyond the immediate and anticipating the unexpected, these pilots compensated for oversights and errors made by others.  Of course, it’s the pilot’s job to ensure the safe operation of the aircraft – no matter what.   

However, any of us, pilots or not can quickly become preoccupied with our own tasks and responsibilities. Big-picture thinking and the ability to quickly react to the unexpected can suffer in these kinds of situations. The common reaction when things go wrong under these circumstances is, “well, that’s not my job…”

Be aware and look beyond the immediate
Photo by Stephen Michaud

As you carry out your daily job responsibilities, especially if you are in a leadership position, consider the lessons learned from these fast-thinking pilots.

• Look beyond the immediate:  There is a whole world swirling around all of us at any time. If you’re immersed in the details and deadlines of a project, it’s easy to miss other things that may be affecting you or your team. Stay aware by making a conscious effort to ensure you know the full scope of expectations, demands and deliverables. Plates may be fuller than you realize.
• Expect the unexpected: Easy to say, difficult to do. How can we plan for events that we can’t predict? Consider the most likely barriers, obstacles or problems that you and your team may encounter. Have a contingency plan in case someone or something unexpectedly arises to upset your strategy.
• Everything is your job:  Just as the pilot is considered to be the sole and final authority for the safe operation of the aircraft, effective leaders take full responsibility for the success of the team. Be ready to respond, even if the threat is caused by another’s mistake. Your team will respect your capacity to solve the problem rather than lay blame for it.

When was the last time you had a day where everything went exactly as planned? Surprises and problems are part of life and especially common in the world of leadership. Learn to expect them, have a plan to respond and take full responsibility for the success of your team.

Recommended further readings for this subject are Making Yourself Indispensible: The Power of Personal Accountability, by Mark Samuel and Runway Incursions by Bill Clarke. The former provides practical advice to derive the benefits of accepting full responsibility for events and situations, while the latter offers actionable strategies for pilots to maximize safety on and near the ground.