Bottom Line Up Front: Aviators Make Great Leaders and Communicate Effectively
If you’ve ever wondered whether you are too rooted in your specific profession to successfully structure and orchestrate a pivot into a new career field, this might be a helpful article for you. Additionally, if you want any insight into how solid communication enables the success of both pilots and leaders in their profession, keep reading.
Welcome back to the second article in this series that addresses why aviators make sound leaders in a variety of positions outside the aviation industry. If you haven’t read (or at least skimmed) the first article that identified the issue and addressed some foundational values, I strongly encourage you to read from the beginning. You may think, “I’m not interested in aviation nor do I want to be a leader, why should I read this article?” And in that case, I challenge you to open your mind and take 5 minutes to examine this unique perspective as I attempt to create several parallels relating to this necessary skill for both pilots and leaders. Though I lay out my specific thoughts, my intent is to spark discussion (messages or comments at the bottom of the article are welcome) to further develop some of these points. If you have anything to offer or would like to elaborate on any of the points made, all feedback is welcome! I hope you enjoy this article and continue to tune in for future parts of this series.
Communication is Key
Clear communication is one of the most critical skills that applies equally to pilots and leaders. All aviators MUST be proficient with their external communication with Air Traffic Control (ATC). Military aviators MUST effectively communicate with everyone in their surroundings; including other aircraft in the airspace around them, troops on the battlefield, AND ATC. Pilots accurately convey their intentions quickly, clearly, and concisely with controlling agencies, most critically around busy airports and in congested airspace. Internally, pilots have to ensure that they efficiently communicate with each other and with the rest of their crew. This starts with planning basics and duty distribution to ensure that all of the conditions for a successful flight are met before even leaving the ground—pre-flight inspections, filing of flight plans, regulatory requirements, the walk-around ensuring all cowlings/doors are latched, and crew coordination briefings. Those are just a few of the requisite tasks reliant on effective communication before a crew can even start the engines. How critical do you think communication was in the orchestration and planning of a 21-helicopter formation flight? Now think about everything that might’ve gone into that flight from both a pilot’s and leader’s perspective. From the planning three-weeks prior to the morning of execution briefings, this exercise could not have been accomplished safely without clear and effective communication. It takes great precision and efficient communication to fly within feet of other aircraft through every phase of flight or change in formation.
Aviators, specifically Pilots-in-Command, delegate tasks to their crew in order to operate more efficiently. Regardless of a crew’s familiarity with each other, their duty positions within an organization, or the other nuances/norms within the company’s culture, nothing can be assumed. It is ultimately the PIC’s responsibility to communicate their intent and ensure completion of all requisite items, verifying as necessary. Leaders must communicate effectively; they can’t make unreasonable assumptions or presume understanding without verification. Leaders have to be versatile and well versed in many areas of their organization’s operation; they have to trust their team members, but they also have to verify the completion of critical elements. This process will be reach optimization through efficient and effective communication, enabling a solid organization made up of engaged leaders, trustworthy team members, and a dedicated workforce. Like the PIC, leaders at every level are responsible for everything the entity does or doesn’t do—ensuring the successful performance and completion of each objective requires effective communication.
Above: Pilots conduct an aircraft familiarization brief to an Air Assault class and family members at Fort Campbell, highlighting the mission of the aircraft and the role of aerial reconnaissance pilots.
Effective communication that clearly outlines a leader’s purpose, priority, and additional specifications (how, when, or where) will enable any team to be equipped with the necessary information to succeed. There is never an aspect of an aviator’s job that doesn’t rely on his or her ability to clearly and succinctly communicate. In military operations, aviators at all levels must be able to receive, distill, and relay intent; many times, translating these inputs from above into tactical plans that mesh with an aviation element’s scheme of maneuver. Pilots will formulate the plans, setting in motion all requisite functions from logistics or maintenance to approvals or validation, and communicate the relevant information without unnecessary redundancy. They will brief the crews of helicopters or airplanes in the flight, they will communicate changes or adjustments in real time during the execution of a mission, and they will delegate/manage the communication with controlling agencies throughout a flight to ensure that the mission doesn’t impact surrounding airspace or non-participating traffic in an area.
Leaders communicate clearly and effectively with superiors, subordinates, peers, or other stakeholders in order to accomplish their mission or drive success; the key aspects of their communication who, what, when, where, or how. These are the same elements of information that pilots routinely communicate with controlling authorities, their crews, or stakeholders in their missions, avoiding redundancy in order to streamline the exchange of information. Yes, there may be a specific format in how a pilot relays this information, but all key players grasp the clear intent and understand his/her requests. Having this ability to communicate relevant information translates easily to other civilian industries. Though the formats for specific communication may be different, aviators communicate efficiently; they reduce ambiguity and promote clarity in specific guidance and reporting—whether they push information up, down, or side to side.
Aviators and leaders alike must practice or sometimes refine their communication methods/channels to achieve success. Skills atrophy during periods of time when they aren’t exercised, and communication is certainly one of them. Pilots must stay sharp with their communication in the air and on the ground to prevent dangerous situations, and new pilots routinely practice/rehearse specific calls before they key the microphone. Even a half-second stumble or hesitation can distort the message they may be trying to convey to other aircraft nearby or controllers in the tower. Most leaders practice their presentations or discuss talking points with their colleagues prior to orating before audiences or inspiring their teams. Leaders in aviation practice in both areas; they are dedicated to constant improvement in their craft, and working specifically on their communication demonstrates their desire to grow. The communicator may identify holes in his/her arguments or discover issues with the clarity of his/her intent during this phase of refinement. He or she may also identify an additional medium in which something could be communicated, whether on a different radio frequency or via visual signal (pilots’ alternate methods of communication in the air), or with a phone call rather than a text message. Practicing and refining how someone communicates is critical. Improvement in this area can prevent muddying the waters by using the wrong format or medium to get a complex point across, and it can prevent critical misinterpretation of a pilot’s intent when it relates to the management of multiple aircraft converging on a busy airport.
Above: Pilots maneuver a helicopter into position for contact with a refueling hose, a maneuver requiring precise and timely communication in order to enable the safe outcome for both crews.
So far, I’ve touched on basic elements of communication primarily related to the content of the information and the idea that communication requires practice. These ideas only scratch the surface; and because communication is such a critical element, I’ll hit on nuances here or there throughout the rest of my articles. I can’t leave this thought without addressing one more critical element of communication, though. Tone, inflection, and conviction are critical elements that differentiate messages and dictate the effectiveness of written and verbal communication. As an aviator, especially when leading a crew, these elements are almost more important than the message itself. I briefly touched on the foundational value of confidence in my last article; however, a serious tone and conviction communicate a pilot’s confidence in his/her ability to deal with whatever complex problem is currently at the forefront of his/her mind. Leading through serious events and conveying the levity of situations with conviction will undoubtedly lead to a more successful outcomes—frightful, timid, or uncertain tones have no place in a cockpit or a boardroom.
Leaders must have awareness of their communication style and how it can affect the team’s success. Much like the pilot, leaders need to use the appropriate tone, inflection, and conviction when they compose emails, text messages, or Slack posts. They must utilize the right inflection when communicating critical points over the phone, and they must know how to address a room with conviction when rallying the team in support of a cause. Leaders don’t necessarily need a buttery smooth voice to communicate effectively; however, they shouldn’t be the one known for their coarse or wild verbal encounters with others in the work environment. Don’t misinterpret this last point as a millennial’s attempt to quell the presence of pointed reprimands, directed communications, or truthful feedback in a modern, positive culture. In every organization and across every industry, there may be a need for such remediation or focused attention; however, leaders will never be effective if they are known for contributing to a toxic environment. Leaders must have candor; dealing with people and business frankly. When leaders approach things realistically and are prepared to give honest feedback, their instinctive tone and conviction will help communicate their true message. The recipient will understand the subject and seriousness of the actions that must be taken to realign their efforts with a mission, or they will internalize the praise that the leader is offering.
Above: A flight crew conducts a familiarity and safety briefing prior to training iterations.
Like many of the foundational elements, communication is intertwined with other skills and values that differentiate aviators and successful leaders. As I continue to offer situational or personal examples to highlight successive points, you’ll recognize that effective communication is a recurring theme. Solid communication will enable the success of organizations and leaders. Communication failures will be contributing factors to other incidents or fatal errors.
What’s Next?
I’ve only just begun to cover my list of reasons to support this series’ bottom line. There is still so much more that goes into the making of an aviator; beyond the ratings and hundreds (or thousands) of hours accrued annually, beyond the multitude of designations within military or civil aviation, and beyond the book knowledge of every possible piece of aviation principle and weather phenomena. Having only touched on some critical foundational values and communication, I’m only scratching the surface. I’ll continue to support my argument that key attributes make successful aviators great leaders by touching on the art of remaining calm, self-discipline, situational awareness, mitigation/management of risks, critical thinking, effective teamwork, decisiveness, technical awareness, and expert judgement. This list is not all-inclusive and I’m sure that there will be additional valid points brought to my attention through discussions and feedback as I publish each article related to aviation or leadership.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this second installment of “Navigating a Career Pivot: Pilot Edition,” and I look forward to hearing any feedback or discussions that you can offer. If you’re thinking about your own transition or are struggling to translate the skills that you already have, I hope this series of articles will help shape your mindset as you accelerate down the runway, giving you confidence as you take off into a new career beyond the cockpit.
Note: For additional visuals to help shape your mental image of anything (planes/helicopters/tasks) I touched on, YouTube and Google are great resources. This article was originally published by Josh Martin on LinkedIn.
