Leading in Challenging Times

Many of our staff have already run a marathon. With a lot of the summer to go, help get through the next couple of months by thinking more about your circles. 

Back to the basics of safe operations

There is no doubt that things are pretty tough in the aviation community at the moment. For many people, Summer 2022 is their first chance to travel again since the start of the COVID pandemic.

It's great to see a big increase in the number of passengers who want to fly again. As operations increase, its likely you have faced many different organisational challenges. The picture below from our Stronger, Safer, Together Campaign highlights the 6 basic activities that are at the heart of safe operations. Focusing on these basic principles is a great way to help get through this difficult summer period. They are also useful to come back to at any time.  

The 6 basic activities don't stand by themselves individually. They are all closely linked to each other. You probably find that the "People" part is your biggest challenge right now. Things are tough when you don't have enough people, especially when some of those are new to your organisation or even new to the work they are doing. People can be qualified etc in accordance with the rules - so meeting the "Comply" part of the model. But that doesn't mean they can deal continually with the challenges of high tempo operations continually for a long period of time without this leading to increased operational risks.

You can help cope with this challenging situation by having a "Culture" that enables people to talk about the operational difficulties they face. Then when people do speak up and tell you about things that impact the safety of your operations, you need to be able to do the "Learn" part. Actually listen to your staff and discuss ways to mitigate any "Risks" to continue operating safely. Anything else is just hoping for the best. And history shows that doesn't end well.  

When it comes your "People", its vital you think continually about your circles. 

What are your circles? 

As a leader/ manager, the biggest challenge always feels like the need to achieve the operational tasks that your organisation needs. The reality is that focussing only on getting the job done only works for a short period of time. In the Action Centred Leadership approach of John Adair, your task circle is accompanied by circles for the team and the individual. 

You can only achieve the task for a sustained period of time when your circles are in balance. This means you also need to focus on the needs of your team or teams as a group and then also about your staff members as individuals. 

The only way you will get through the summer without burnout is by continually taking the chance to balance the circles on a regular basis. If we are going to rebuild our industry so that it can reach its long-term potential we need to create positive working environments where people want to work and feel fulfilled. 

Put your own mask on first....

One final thought, especially for leaders and managers, but really for anyone. While a lot of this about the things we do for others. It is really important to take the time to think about your own wellbeing. As we say in safety demonstrations, "put your own mask on before helping others". Visit the EASA Wellbeing Resource Hub for more useful tips and information.