Leadership and the Mission: Don’t Let Your Team Crash
Years ago when I was a crew member flying rescue missions for the U.S. Air Force I attended what was then called Cockpit Resource Management training. Now called Crew Resource Management, it’s a course designed by the commercial airline industry to improve communication and team effectiveness of an aircraft’s crew. One of the case studies from that training was the crash of Flight 401 near Miami in 1972. That lesson has stayed with me and has definite parallels beyond the aviation community.
Eastern Airlines Flight 401 was a Lockheed Tristar L-1011 flying from New York’s JFK airport to Miami International Airport in Florida. The flight was uneventful until approach to Miami at which time the crew observed the indicator light did not indicate the nose landing gear was down and locked. The captain asked for and received clearance to discontinue the landing approach and evaluate the problem. The cockpit crew then become concentrated (the mishap report uses the words “preoccupation” and “distraction”) on a minor problem, the light, and failed to recognize they were in a descent. By the time they realized the problem it was too late to recover.
When an aircraft’s landing gear is down and locked a green light will illuminate in the cockpit. In the case of Flight 401, the light did not illuminate causing the crew, correctly, to evaluate why. They first checked to ensure the bulb was correctly installed. Then one crewmember attempted to visually inspect the nose landing gear through a small window designed for that purpose. The first officer had engaged the autopilot but at some point it became disengaged and no one noticed the aircraft begin a descent. In fact the crew was so focused on the malfunctioning light that they did not hear a warning tone telling them their altitude was low.
This is quite similar to events that occur in our daily leadership experience. It’s much too easy to get wrapped up in minor details and miss the really important issue. That’s why I emphasize the importance of a proper mission statement. When there is a single overarching mission; when everyone understands that mission and their responsibility to achieve that mission; and when leadership concentrates on that mission, they will be less likely to lose focus.
I know what you’re thinking. “Bob, you’re living in a dream world.” Let’s go back to the mishap example. One of the things every aircrew member knows is that whatever else happens to the flight, the company, or anything else, the basic mission is to make safe landings equal takeoffs. In the case of Flight 401, the crew allowed a minor problem to push that basic mission from their thoughts. Investigation revealed the nose landing gear light was burned out and the mishap report clearly states the captain failed to ensure a pilot was monitoring the aircraft’s performance. Had the captain, or other crew member, kept the basic mission in mind, the mishap would not have happened.
Everything you and your team does should start with the question, “How does this further the mission?” If you can’t think of a good answer, and you have to do it anyway, then your next question should be, “How might this detract from the mission.” If the task is not mission enhancing, but still must be done, then make sure it doesn’t keep others from continuing with the primary mission.
Don’t let a distraction occupy your team’s attention to the detriment of overall mission accomplishment.
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Balancing the Generations: A Leader’s Guide to the Complex, Multi-Generational, 21st Century Workplace.
