Here is what our illustrious leader wrote in his last WIGO. Seems funny he is asking for us to "step up" and work with the company to help move in a new direction, then just a few days later, they insist that a cost cutting move is what we the company must have to excel.
I say we "step up" and do the right thing for our careers...tell management that moral boosters like furloughs aren't going to make this ANA thing work. Tell them that negotiating a good contract will enable us to really work with them and make us a player in Asia. The pilots are the ones that will make this thing great or a failure, not management.
Chief Pilot Perspective:
As pilots we’re used to having all available information before we step to our jet. We start with knowing where we are, where we’re going, everything in-between and even an alternate plan should the first plan not work. Most of the decisions during the trip are in our control or at least under our direct supervision. Business is much the same in a general sense.
In business you know where you are and where you want (or need) to go. The individual, however, as part of the larger plan, doesn’t have direct control over the decisions or the same level of detail as the pilot of their own flight. Just as in a flight, business decisions and opportunities must be acted upon in a timely manner because if you put everything off until you’re sure of it, you’ll get nothing done and the opportunity may be lost. That’s where trust and faith in the system come into play.
Sometimes, in order to take advantage of an opportunity, we have to take action without all the details which not easy for us pilot types. Over 20 years ago a few crewmembers signed up to fly the DC-8. Despite the uncertainty of training, schedules, and the like, this initial cadre of crewmembers pulled together to bring ABX into the "heavy" airlift market. With extreme professionalism they made that defining moment for our company possible and directly contributed to the double-digit growth we enjoyed during that time. We have another opportunity, of potentially greater proportion, to move ABX into the Global market by partnering with Air Transport World’s "2006 Airline of the Year" All Nippon Airways (ANA).
To capitalize on this opportunity we will have to act without every detail of information. Admittedly, we don’t have all the specifics for the startup of this operation, so we must work out of our comfort zone. But just as things worked out for the adventurous initial cadre in the DC-8, the system will take care of those willing to step up to make our global opportunity and growth a reality.
Are you up to the challenge?
That’s it for this WIGO
Work Smart, Work Hard, Have Fun, and Fly Safe!
Mike
