Lesson #15: Leadership Lessons from the Cockpit
I love flying on United Airlines because they often pipe in Air Traffic Control via the channel 9 audio option. I’ll even go so far to say that the quick/rhythmic exchange between controllers and pilots is soothing to me. I can actually fall into a deep state of relaxation when I hear it!
This is mostly because I can anticipate what I’m about to hear and fully visualize what it means. It’s familiar and comfortable.
Take for example the typical clearance before an IFR flight:
“Cirrus N383CD is cleared to Detroit Metro Airport via Direct Jasen, Victor 92, Bowling Green, Direct. Climb and maintain four thousand, expect eight thousand, ten minutes after departure. Departure frequency 126.1, squawk 0727.”
This may sound foreign to you if you’re not an instrument rated pilot. But if you are, the sequence and items referenced are familiar and easily anticipated.
Your business should have one unified language as well, beginning when you choose a universal system to run it. When we teach the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), we introduce a new language starting on day one. Things like “does he GWC the seat” or “we’ll address that during our L10 meeting” or “let’s drop it down and review during IDS.”
The terms may not make sense if you haven’t yet been exposed to EOS – just as the clearance from ATC doesn’t make sense if you haven’t gone through flight training. But in each case, understanding the “language” helps you to anticipate, execute and stay on the same page. You’ll consistently stay on course.
We all feel more productive when speaking the same language. That’s important when flying an airplane or running a business!
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