The world news has been dominated by the spread and far-reaching impacts of Covid-19. As a result, we have continued to witness and experience the parallel spread of worry, anxiety, and instability. When in a crisis, our mental state often seems only to magnify an already extremely challenging situation, becoming a major obstacle in itself. How can you be composed and provide leadership?
On the 15th January 2009, US airways flight 1549 lost power to both engines shortly after take-off from LaGuardia Airport after striking a large flock of Geese. Miraculous was the descriptor that popped up in the days after the successful landing of US Air Flight 1549 in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009.
Timely Decisions
The captain, Chesley Sullenberger, realising they would not make it back to an airport, decided and landed the plane on the Hudson River and saved the lives of the 155 passengers and crew. He remained calm at all times, despite describing it as ‘the worst sickening, pit-of-your-stomach, falling-through-the-floor feeling’ he had ever experienced. Sullenberger was the last to leave the plane after ensuring no-one was left aboard.
Shared Responsibilities
In as much credit has gone to Sullenberger and rightfully so, his copilot Jeffrey Skiles deserves to be commended as well. In an emergency, the US Air procedures call for the copilot to take the controls while the captain makes the decisions, free from the mechanical burden of flying the plane—this is called Pilot Monitoring, or PM, in aviation parlance.
Effective Communication
Of the three mandates in the aviator’s handbook—aviate, navigate, communicate—the last may have been most important in this emergency. Sullenberger and the crew shared information with exceptional efficiency. Sullenberger’s communication of his intentions very calmly to the air traffic controllers and to his onboard team enabled first responders to arrive on the scene as quickly as possible and kept passengers from panicking as they were rescued. “It allowed the passengers to think they were going to get out of this alive,” he says.
Everybody has a role to play
On their part, the flight crew kept a plane full of passengers calm, made them don their life jackets, and helped the women and children off first. Thanks to this, they avoided the onboard panic and chaos that could have made a bad situation much worse. In addition, they had the presence of mind not to open the back door, which would have flooded the aircraft.
Do not Panic
Remaining calm and composed, making timely decisions and working in collaboration with others is the sure way to lead effectively in a crisis.
