The radio crackled with the words ‘controlled crash at Saipan international airport…’ sending shivers down my spine. The gravity of the situation hit me, and my mind raced with critical decisions to make.
It was, “GO-TIME” ❗️
Pre-flight Check
As a Jr. Captain in the Air Force, I was appointed as the overall mission commander for a team of 50 personnel and a fleet of C-130 aircraft valued at over half a billion dollars. It was February 2012 and I had just arrived at Anderson Air Force Base in Guam for a one-month assignment.
In-flight Emergency
One day, while on a routine training mission, one of our F-16s aircraft crash landed at the Saipan international airport due to a faulty landing gear. As the overall mission commander, it was my responsibility to lead the emergency response efforts. However, I quickly realized that my trust and credibility as a leader were being challenged by a more senior member of my team, who had just graduated from the weapons instructor school and was under a lot of pressure to perform well on his first deployment.
Emergency Procedures
I knew that in order to successfully execute the mission, it was crucial to establish trust and credibility with my team. I pulled my leadership team into a room and reminded them of our previous successes in the face of large challenges. A year prior to this deployment, I had led the Air component for a 52-day campaign that helped Japan recover from a 9.2 earthquake where I was personally heralded by the Vice President of the United States. Everyone, including the Weapons Officer who challenged my authority, was a part of this effort and immediately snapped their memories to the fact that I can handle big situations such as these.
I asserted to the team that the needs of my team members and whatever they required to assist the down crew and airplane was my sole purpose and that I trusted them to operate autonomously. Additionally, I made sure to involve my team members in the decision-making process and to actively listen to their suggestions and concerns. This helped to establish open and honest communication, which was essential for building trust to enable decentralized execution.
Crew Coordination
I also made sure to use my emotional intelligence by being aware of and attuned to my team members’ emotions, this helped me to understand their pressure and expectations. By being aware of and attuned to their emotions, I was able to build stronger relationships with my team members, which in turn enabled more effective communication and collaboration.
Landing
As trust began to build, my team members were more willing to follow my lead and execute my commands. This decentralized execution, enabled by trust, was crucial in the successful recovery of the disabled aircraft.
Post-flight Debrief
Through this experience, I learned that trust is the key to effective leadership. By using a servant leadership approach and involving my team members in the decision-making process, I was able to earn their trust and successfully execute the mission. Additionally, I learned the importance of understanding my team members’ pressure and expectations, which I was able to do using emotional intelligence. This experience reinforced the importance of trust in leadership and the power of servant leadership in building relationships and achieving success.
Follow-on Mission
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Coach Rob