Lesson #14: Leadership Lessons from the Cockpit
You have probably heard the saying: “fly by the seat of your pants.” You can actually fly a plane by “feel,” but not when visual references are gone (i.e., flying through clouds).
Prior to entering the clouds (IMC), every pilot is taught to reference their instruments and ignore what’s going on outside the window. Simply put, our body indicators are not capable of providing accurate feedback with the absence of visual references. Trusting your instinct at this point could be deadly.
The same rule applies to running a business. We can “fly by the seat of our pants” for a while. But as your business grows and gets more complicated, instinct alone will not suffice. We need more information to accurately assess what’s coming down the pike.
The key is to determine the instruments to monitor and develop a discipline around scanning often and taking early action. The scorecard is a tool from the EOS toolbox that encapsulates key indicators (measurables) that will help predict future outcomes.
Imagine 5-15 key indicators that give you an early view of what’s going to happen in all key areas of your business. These could include things like future revenue, future cash flow, future productivity, future customer satisfaction, etc.
Consider the Scorecard as a sophisticated instrument panel for your business. It’s a modern day crystal ball that will give you early indications of when things get off track and need your attention.
Relying on your instinct has its time and place. Just remember that false indicators can be deadly – both in the cockpit and in your business.
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