The Cockpit Gradient Effect: Leadership Lessons From The Air

✍️ Coming up in today’s edition:

1. One quick win: Why tension is essential for a team to become #1

2. One proven system: The "Cockpit Gradient" that could put your leadership in danger?

3. One million-dollar question: To find your team’s superpower

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1. “TO WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, TENSION IN A TEAM IS ESSENTIAL.”

The most common misconception about successful cultures is that they are tension-free, where disagreements and mistakes are rare.  

This is not reality.

Watch this snippet from 7-time National Championship-Winning Head Coach, Nick Saban on why tension is important, especially when players start to self-regulate the standards needed to become the best at their craft👇

The standards you set provide a level of expected behaviour that supports the culture you're aiming to build.

For instance, if punctuality is important, enforce a standard where meetings always start on time. This promotes a culture of respect and efficiency and shows that you value everyone's time.

If discipline is a core value, then a practical standard might be responding to all communications within a specific time frame, reinforcing this value daily.

In the Marine Corps Special Ops, “accountability” is central to their operational ethos. So every team member is responsible not just for their own tasks but also for holding each other accountable to the group’s standards.

These standards should be crystal clear, ensuring everyone knows what's expected of them without any room for interpretation.

Successful teamwork extends well beyond individual capabilities.

Does your team know the standards you want them to uphold when you’re not in the room?

2. ARE YOU IN DANGER FROM YOUR “COCKPIT GRADIENT”?

In the 1970s, there was a significant spike in aircraft incidents, where human error was found to be the case.

The key factor in the mistakes was the relationship between the Captain and First Officer.

The Captain is responsible for the safe command of the whole flight.

Whereas the First Officer is responsible for assisting the captain and only steps in as pilot in command, if necessary.

This was the root cause of the problem.

Many pilots from that generation were trained by the military in an autocratic manner. They often thought they knew best and would rarely accept any challenges or feedback from their First Officers or crew.

This difference in the hierarchy and decision-making power between the Captain, First Officer and the rest of the crew is now referred to as “The Cockpit Gradient”.

When the gradient is too steep, the First Officer is reluctant to challenge the Captain; even when they’re aware of an impending fatal error.

As a response, the Civil Aviation Board brought in the concept of Crew Resource Management (CRM) which has been mandatory training in Europe since 1977.

When faced with serious technical or emergency situations, Captains now use the DODAR framework to guide their problem-solving and decision-making to achieve the safest possible outcome.

Steal this system for your own leadership toolbox:

• Diagnose: define the problem, accepting all information/feedback from the flight crew

• Options: the flight crew provide options e.g. continue the flight, divert to a nearby airport or emergency landing

• Decide/Do: the Captain then takes the most appropriate course of action after considering all options. They must use open questioning such as “What do you think?”

• Assign Tasks: control of the aircraft is often given to the First Officer so the Captain can better manage the situation

• Review: even in an emergency when time is critical, this procedure demands a review as emergencies can be fluid and change from one minute to the next

Once the problem has been diagnosed and an appropriate course of action taken, the flight crew use the NITS communication framework to inform Air Traffic Control:

• Nature: share a brief overview of the issue

• Intention: describe the plan of action e.g. diversion to a suitable airfield

• Timescales: of this course of action

• Special instructions: important context/support that’s needed e.g. preparation for emergency landing

These two systems have saved the lives of thousands of people in the air.

When you next speak to your team, make sure they know that they can give you feedback, especially if they spot impending danger 🤝 

3. WHAT IS THE #1 THING YOU’RE GREAT AT, WITHOUT TRYING?

Asking yourself and your team this question is a game-changer.

We all have one skill or characteristic that comes more naturally to us than our peers.

Define it. Double down on it. Discuss it together.

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Defining roles reduced conflict.

The majority of disagreements happen when employees are protective over their area and responsibilities.

In startups, job roles are much broader so there is a higher risk of these internal conflicts.

Your team will surprise you with what they can accomplish—if they’re focused on one thing. 

Your team will frustrate you with what they fail to accomplish—if they’re focused on 5 things at once. 

Nobody performs well when stretched in a half dozen directions.

Work with your team to define the one thing they are great at then remove any obstacles that are preventing them from spending more time using this superpower 🚀

MY FAVOURITE FINDS 🔗

For your performance:

• LA Lakers legend Shaq tells the story of how his dad and a homeless family taught him to handle pressure at the highest level (Link)

• Lebron James’s killer advice to his daughter on the power of our internal dialogue (Link)

For your team:

• Emma Hayes OBE breaks down how to build a winning team 👇

• A masterclass in leadership communication from Jude Bellingham (Link)

For your health:

• Whoop pays $100 per month to any employee whose average sleep performance is 85% or more 👀 (Link)

• Owner of Anyman Fitness breaks down how to get enough protein in your diet (Link)

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See you next week 👋