Leaders Must Always Fight For The Big Picture

It's so easy to get sucked into the minutia of everyday business, to fail in our leadership obligation and become a micro-manager. Professional aviation demands that pilots stay situationally aware at all times and fight for the big picture. There are numerous mishaps throughout aviation history where the flight crew got hyperfocused on a certain task or abnormal situation, leading to tragedy. In this episode, I use the mishap of Eastern 401 from December 1972 to highlight the importance of maintaining the big picture, allowing you to keep everyone aligned and empowered towards your intended outcome. In order to fight for the big picture you have to: Define your Sandbox.  Communicate clearly to create alignment on what you're trying to accomplish and what you're not going to do. Think strategically & leaving the tactics to your team. Listen to everyone & everything. Keep your eye on the future and desired outcome