Directors Notes, January 2011

(Double-cllick on image to enlarge.)

January is the traditional “look back/look forward” month, and the time that many of us make our resolutions for betterment. In my job, I actually try to do that every day. Life’s pace is now such that anybody who sets long-term goals and doesn’t constantly reassess his or her progress, barriers, and new opportunities, is likely going to miss their targets. On any given day I’m reviewing new reports of finances, outcomes, complaints, things that break, items that disappear, new technology, staffing issues, industry gossip, regulations, etc.

One of the roles of managers is to absorb all that input, and then synthesize it into a logical response or proactive plan. Managers sometimes get criticism for “changing course” or “jumping the gun” when we react to new input; conversely, we also get criticism for moving too slow on some issues. It is all fair criticism, but I also know that it’s unwise to simply commit to a plan and stick with it regardless of what new information might unfold. It is also unwise to take a leisurely approach to resolving critical issues.

In the insert above, you can read Captain Sullenberger’s radio communications towards the end of his 6 minute flight from La Guardia Airport two years ago. (I’ve left off the first few minutes of the transcript.) He goes from requesting an emergency landing back at La Guardia (while still attempting to re-start his engines), then next to asking for landing instructions to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, to finally focusing on safely landing the powerless plane in the Hudson River. Later, he recounted that there was no time for checklists or manuals. The flow of work was all about him communicating with his First Officer and flight attendants. They all relied on their training and experience to perform their duties in coordination with each other. The result was, as we all know, a successful water landing with no loss of life.

It’s a stretch to compare any of our jobs to the urgency of that moment faced by the flight crew on US Airways. But there are some principles to be learned, and that leads to the another role of managers, which is to communicate as frequently, repeatedly, and transparently as possible with those we work with. As we all learn early in life, communication is a two-way thing: Those we communicate with also need to respond back and provide their feedback, new information or viewpoints. Those exchanges allow both parties to adjust and perfect their plans and actions.

If you recall the hospital safety training from the past year, much of it focused on communication. In many ways it boils down to this: if you see something unsafe, say something or do something. Much of our training was about what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. You may not save a plane-load of people, but you may save someone from injury or death.

In addition to the safety implications of communication, there are also the issues about how we work with each other, how we work with our supervisors, and how we work with those who support us.

Here again is the communication guideline: frequently, repeatedly, and transparently. Listen without defending, speak without offending.