Don’t be Afraid to Expand the Team
“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.” – Confucius
I had a few minutes to spare recently, so I decided to watch a YouTube program about a pilot flying a single-engine plane. He was able to safely land only after reaching out for assistance and expanding his team.
He and his wife were making this short journey from Omaha to Des Moines. He had logged more than 3,000 flying hours and was considered an experienced and cautious pilot.
However, the pilot had limited knowledge regarding how to land the airplane using flight instruments, which meant he was relying on a visual landing approach.
Unfortunately, the weather changed rapidly, and the sunny afternoon gave way to ominous clouds, which negated any chance of landing with eyesight alone.
Listening to the flight recording, it was obvious the pilot was nervous about the situation. To make matters worse, the dark night arrived.
Knowing he was in trouble, the pilot reached out to the air traffic controller (ATC) and asked for specific instructions on what he should do next. He even recruited his wife to write down the information shared by the ATC.
The pilot showed vulnerability and sought help. By not being afraid to expand his team, they landed safely in Des Moines, and they now have a very interesting story to share.
Seek Help
This situation reminded me about the importance of reaching out for assistance when necessary. I remember the times when my pride prevented me from showing humility and asking for help.
I had the mentality that I would eventually stumble onto the solution and all would be fine. Looking back, though, I wasted a lot of time, and the results were often subpar.
Expand the Team
It seems like nearly every day we hear about companies downsizing.
The idea here is that making a company lean and mean is always the right approach.
I agree that the goal for any company is to be both efficient and effective, but there is a point when the resources needed to get the work done are either insufficient or unavailable.
Therefore, it is essential that the leadership team make the necessary investment to ensure the teams have the knowledge and bandwidth to do their work at the desired performance level. To make this a reality, it is important to grow the team.
The Conversation
During the past few years, I have taken a different approach in the classes I teach. When we have a live session scheduled, I avoid the use of a PowerPoint.
Instead, I make it clear from the get-go that we are going to discuss the topic for the day as if we are having a business conversation.
Believe it or not … I think conversation is becoming a lost art.
By taking this instructional approach, I’ve learned that we can cover a topic in more depth, and we are able to incorporate the knowledge of more people.
As you can see with this example, the learning process is enhanced because more members of the team contributed to the topic.
See you next week, my friends!
Closing Quotes
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.” – Brene Brown
“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” – John Donne
Homework Inquiry
During the next week, here’s your homework inquiry: How will you lead others with a conversation?
I use this opportunity to share with you a unique story and a couple inspiring quotes. Oh ... as a professor at heart, you guessed it, I have a homework inquiry for you. This is a powerful question that might just trigger you to take action on something that really matters in your life. If you feel the Catalyst Newsletter brings benefit to you.