Competent Courage from an American Hero

By now we are all familiar with his story. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III skillfully landed a US Airways jet in the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 people aboard the plane. A former fighter pilot for the US Air Force, "Sully" demonstrated the sort of courage under pressure, in a time of real crisis, that truly warrants the claims of "American Hero." He landed the plane, then calmly walked up and down the aisle twice to ensure all passengers were off before exiting himself.

This sort of leadership, this demonstration of courage and competence in a time of crisis, is worthy of our praise and surely the sort of thing we could use more of now -- in politics, in our businesses, schools, and communities, and on our planes! With the turmoil and chaos we see in our world today, we could sure use more leaders like "Sully."

Prepare for impact. While those were "Sully's" words as the plane headed toward the Hudson, they were also what it took for him to successfully land on the river. He had prepared his entire life for that event. He has flown for nearly 40 years and logged over 19,000 flight hours, first with the Air Force (F-4s and gliders in the 1970s, the latter certainly being fortuitous that day), then almost 30 years with US Airways. He served on a board that investigated aircraft accidents. He is President of an aircraft safety company. When he returned to his hometown, he simply stated that he was "doing the job he was trained to do." Preparation for worst-case scenarios, training, and experience all count for something and undoubtedly enabled "Sully" to do what he did. In a time of crisis, training is not what we cut to help us keep the plane flying, but what we must continue to do to keep the aircraft in the air...or to bring it safely to the ground.

Communicate transparently. Upon impact with the birds, "Sully" immediately radioed the air control tower that his plane had suffered a double bird strike, taking out both engines. With a calmness that relayed confidence, he told passengers to "brace for impact." While we have not heard the cockpit communications, I have no doubt that he maintained continuous contact with his crew, his co-pilot, other aircraft, and the control tower. Communication in a time of crisis is critical. People need to understand what we know, when we know it. They also need to believe in the competence of their leaders, that they will continue to be updated on the situation, without painting false, rosy pictures. When the plane is going down, that is not the time to tell people to enjoy the in-flight movie. Communication during crisis prevents chaos.

Hold it steady during the crash. While the headlines read -- Jet crashes in the Hudson, they should have read -- Jet lands in the Hudson. In a time of crisis, the first task is to stop the bleeding. Land the plane. Get the team under control, survive the impact, and go from there. "Sully" knew he could not make it safely to any of the local airports and felt that his best option was to do a water landing. While the risks of that maneuver surely had their own safety implications (it was near freezing in New York City, bridges crossed the river in multiple spots, etc.), "Sully" felt that it was his best option in order to bring the plane down. Getting people off the plane would be his second priority. The first one, and any leader's principal concern during a time of crisis, was to land the plane.

Nobody panics. Control the chaos. No doubt, people took comfort in the tone of "Sully's" voice and the controlled decent to the river. No sharp turns, no rough dives that might signal a lack of confidence. Then, when the plane came to a stop, "Sully" calmly walked up and down the aisle (twice!) to ensure that all passengers had exited. Trust your skills, know your equipment, operate the way you train. In a time of real crisis, leaders control the chaos.

This is a true American hero. I love "Mrs. Sully's" comments at his welcome home ceremony: "I knew when I married Sully the one thing for sure was that he was the most honorable man I knew," she beamed. "I have always known him to be an exemplary pilot, I knew what the outcome would be that day because I knew my husband. But mostly for me, he's the man that makes my cup of tea every morning." (Source: NY Daily News) Brave, calm under pressure, and a selfless servant. "Sully" teaches us all about leadership in a time of crisis. That's Leader Business.

The Empowerment Zone

Welcome to...the "Empowerment Zone!"

This is the place in which employees are given the freedom to make decisions, to take action without needing to seek permission, to operate freely with the full backing and consent of management. This is the place where we all want to work. This is the place that most of us say we have created for our respective teams.

Well...let me first say what empowerment is NOT. Empowerment is not putting someone in a new position, handing them an incredibly difficult problem, pushing them out on a ledge...AND LEAVING THEM ALONE! That is NOT empowerment. That is abandonment.

Unfortunately, many leaders think that by leaving people unsupervised, not bothering them, they have followed the business leader's doctrine for empowerment. They know they are supposed to do it. So...if they leave them alone, they are empowering them.

Entrance into the empowerment zone requires three keys. Without each of them, you are not empowering...you are abandoning.

1. Education. People need the necessary skills and tools to operate in the empowerment zone. If we want them to make decisions, they need to understand the decision-making process and the intent of their leaders. They need training in order to gain the appropriate level of competence for their position. They need leadership training and communication skills. They need the tools and resources necessary to function. Bottom line - it does people no good to push them out on the ledge without the basic necessities.

2. Opportunity. Empowerment comes from putting people in position to grow. Developmental assignments and challenging projects offer the opportunity to function in the empowerment zone. They need increasingly longer leashes to demonstrate the understanding of how to apply the skills and tools we have provided them. Bottom line -- there is no substitute for the learning that comes from OJT (On the Job Training). But..these opportunities are only chances for failure, disappointment, and disillusionment if they are not accompanied by the tools that enable success.

3. Feedback. Empowering people requires leaders to cycle back and provide feedback. People in the empowerment zone need to know that they are doing well, meeting (or exceeding expectations), and functioning within our intent. If they are not on the right track, a course correction that provides positive, encouraging alignment will make all the difference. Praise, followed by training and guidance, helps keep people motivated and confident -- key to life in the empowerment zone.

That's it. There's probably more (and I hope you'll share them with me), but these three steps are the difference between empowerment and abandonment. Education + Opportunity + Feedback = Empowerment. All three keys are necessary to unlock the Empowerment Zone. Providing teammates all three will indeed serve as the entrance into the world in which people can confidently and capably operate without guidance, make appropriate decisions, and take the sort of aggressive actions that can make good teams great. Empowerment is Leader Business!

Radical Resolutions!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Hooray! 2008 is in the rear view mirror. It is time to look forward to the great things ahead in 2009. Are you ready?

If you are like many of us, you have made a list of resolutions for the new year. If so, congratulations! You are 10 times more likely to achieve those goals than those who did not begin the year with resolutions. You are on your way. But, if you are like most of us, you did the same thing last year -- likely with mixed results. This year, let's resolve to make our resolutions meaningful. Let's make them radical.

For those who actually make resolutions, one researcher gives us some indication of how successful we are in meeting these goals over time:

-- past the first week: 75%
-- past 2 weeks: 71%
-- after one month: 64%
-- after 6 months: 46%

That's not bad. If we take the first step and make resolutions, half of us will still be meeting them after six months. What can we do to help ensure that our resolutions are lasting and that we can have some promise of success? How can we make them "radical?"

-- Begin with the end in mind. Start with the statement, "On 31 December 2009, I will...." Have a vision for your end state, then build your specific plan. See yourself on the objective -- New Year's Eve, 2009. What will be different? Be bold. Go for something life-changing, something world-changing, something radical!
-- Write down your goals and resolutions. Then take the bold step of sharing them with someone else. This radical step forces accountability and makes us even more likely to achieve them. Post them in a place where you can be regularly reminded of them (for better or for worse!). Be even more radical -- position your list where others can see it as well!
-- Make goals specific: how much? By when? If your vision is to run a marathon, how much do you need to run each day/week? How much do you need to save each month and what will it take to do so?
-- Review progress regularly (depending on what your goals are, reviews daily, weekly, quarterly, etc. will help keep you on track). Sit down with your accountability partner (see "Get some help" below) and discuss your accomplishments.
-- Get some help. Want to lose weight? Get a fitness coach. Want to be a better leader? Get a leadership coach. Want to save money? Get a financial coach. Resolve first to bring in the experts.
-- Make radical resolutions that reflect a balanced life: personal, professional, spiritual, physical, financial. Resolve to improve in all areas of your life.
-- Be positive and have some conviction! Don't say, "I will try to quit smoking!" Say, "I will quit smoking!" Do it. Get some help. Be positive. Believe!

Finally, as I wrote a few days ago (Just Say Yes!), I hope that you will resolve this year to say "YES!" Say yes to serving, to leading, to making a difference in your life and the lives of others! That alone can make our goals possible. That statement, by itself, has the possibility of making the rest of our resolutions...truly radical.

I hope that your 2009 is a great one. As for me...I radically resolve to make it great! That's Leader Business!