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Leadership_Lessons_Piloting_in_Turbulent_Times
| Leadership Lessons: Piloting in Turbulent Times
The pace of change impacting the insurance industry has never
been greater. From consolidations, mergers, and acquisitions to
re-engineering profit centers, creating new product lines and
calming a variety of stakeholders, managers are faced with what
often appears to be turbulent situations. And with turbulence
comes the fact that colleagues and staff experience anxiety.
Performance levels drop. Morale suffers. And all are the
off-shoot of fear.
The following vignette offers practical lessons for handling the
fear and resultant anxiety that come with unexpected and
unwanted change. While this true-life situation occurred in the
clouds, the concepts are very much grounded in reality. Its
lessons can be carried into the office, the field, or the home.
*****
Sunny skies, light winds, and gentle surf started yet another
lovely Spring day in Southern California. Full of optimism, I
boarded a flight bound for New Orleans by way of Denver and a
major speaking engagement.
I never made it.
Snow intervened in Denver, delaying our 747 while nozzles spewed
chemicals onto the wings. The captain explained the procedure as
he walked back into the cabin to visually inspect the coating.
Once airborne, he told us we’d hear the landing gear go down for
a second time as they checked the mechanics. Finally off to New
Orleans on Flight #1180.
Not.
A freak series of severe thunderstorms blew in from Texas,
causing considerable jolting and bucking. The captain’s voice,
calm and deliberate, explained each deviation as he attempted to
discover a better routing. We couldn’t even get close. “I’m an
old captain, not a bold captain”, he explained when he announced
we’d be diverting to Birmingham, Alabama. The passengers
literally applauded his honesty and his concern for our safety
while we all silently and not-so-silently moaned our fate.
The only trouble with the landing was that, for all intent and
purpose, the airport was closed. No jetway, no baggage handlers,
merely the last remnants of a night staff. The captain’s voice
informed us he’d be coming through the jet, out the back stairs,
and expected us to wait until his return at which time he’d tell
us the next steps in our journey. Birmingham was not this
carrier’s hub.
One hundred-fifty people, many with small children, listened
patiently when he returned and explained the exiting procedure
from the aircraft, where we’d lodge, and when we’d meet and
“have another go at it” in the morning. Not one whimper or angry
outburst arose. And true to his word, we all assembled after
little sleep, no food, and for many, no change of clothes. We
had now bonded in the experience and called out to one another,
laughing and sometimes gasping as the still rocky air finally
parted enough to bring us into New Orleans.
I lost significant income on that flight but I gained a strong
metaphor for leadership principles in times of crisis and
change. What the captain and crew engendered, by their behavior,
was confidence and trust.
The word ‘trust” serves as an acronym for understanding exactly
what happened on this trip and what all leaders must do in
today’s turbulent business environment.
T: Tell the truth and reveal feelings. Information abounded on
Flight #1180. People deserve and need plenty of information
about what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what are the
next steps-- even if those next steps are to stop, take stock,
and develop the next plan of attack. And the information has to
be immediate. Waiting while the rumor mill churns out various
versions of “the truth” creates anxiety, second-guessing, and
sometimes panic. None of these are conducive for productivity or
morale. Respond quickly, honestly to every rumor that surfaces.
Create a “heat sheet” (e-mail and hard copy) that can serve as a
one-page update on rumors.
Notice that the captain also admitted that he was “old not
bold”. Consider this the more truthful equivalent of the
oft-mocked phrase “I feel your pain”. The captain didn’t like
this hair-raising flight any more than we did—and he acted upon
that feeling after trying many measures. Leaders are not
invincible. Employees can identify with this statement and also
become reassured that the leader is not going to do anything
foolhardy to jeopardize the organization and its people. Sure,
he knew a number of us would “take a hit”, but my meeting was a
small sacrifice for the overall welfare of the group. R: Respond
consistently. Once the captain and crew established a reporting
method, they continued with the updates. Voices never changed. A
pattern of zigzagging to avoid storms was followed. Is it not
true that businesses often need to consistently be inconsistent
in seeking improvements, finding new markets, responding to the
marketplace? Just make sure you communicate the why behind every
zig and zag. Otherwise, employees will wonder who is running the
company.
U: Understand your role. Be competent. Be visible. With voice as
well as physical presence, the captain and crew were “out and
about”. In times of change and turbulence, seeing and hearing
the leader is important. By walking through the cabin and
putting a hand on different people’s shoulders, he reassured
passengers. The captain also invited people to stay with him and
talk about the flight if anyone was concerned. In times of
change and crisis, it is vital that leaders be seen and
available for questions and feedback. Too often, the leader
meets only with senior people or disappears behind closed doors.
Get out and about.
S: See people as trustworthy. Share the experience. The captain
stated what he would do and that he expected us to follow his
instructions. He basically said, “I trust you to do what is
right for yourselves and each other.” If a leader wants to be
trusted, that presumption must also be present.
The captain also didn’t spend the night in the Presidential
Suite of a hotel. He took whatever was available—just like the
rest of us. Far too often, leaders proclaim austerity measures
and then exempt themselves. One client told of attending a
meeting where a 10% reduction in force was announced by the
company attorney because the president and his senior officers
were in Augusta, attending the Masters Gold Tournament! To
preserve confidence and trust, pain should be felt first and
hardest at the top. The employee and customer loyalty this
engenders will be invaluable when the turbulence subsides.
T: Take action. Take time to laugh. On Flight #1180, passengers
were kept appraised of each action step and the results of that
step, both positive and negative. Whether in the board room, the
marketing department, or the cockpit, an action followed by
course correction is a wise mode for handling any change or
crisis.
Lastly, the captain and the crew managed to find humor in the
situation. “Laughter,” as Victor Borge said,” is the shortest
distance between people.” Laughing over what cannot be
controlled creates that element of bonding which is fundamental
in maintaining trust. Laughter puts situations in perspective.
It regains focus. It is also the canary in the mine of commerce.
Gloom becomes toxic. One organization started a “frisbee memo
day”. Another began holding impromptu ice cream parties. Just
because business is “serious” doesn’t mean joy must be absent.
Test your trust quotient by putting asking what would people say
about your behaviors during turbulent times. Would there be
mutiny and fleeing the ship? Or would people stick with you to
the next destination in the organization’s journey? Let’s trust
they would.
© 1995 by Eileen McDargh. All rights reserved. Reprints must
include byline, contact information and copyright.
About the author:
Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE, is an international speaker, author
and seminar leader. Her book ‘Work for A Living and Still Be
Free to Live’ is also the title of one of her most popular and
upbeat programs on Work/Life Balance. For more information on
Eileen and her presentations, please call 949-496-8640 or visit
her web site at http://www.eileenmcdargh.com.
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