𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗦𝗧: 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝗢𝗔𝗥

When I was in the U.S. Air Force, people often asked me about the capabilities of the fighter jet I was flying. Whether it was the F-15E Strike Eagle I flew in combat or the F-16 Fighting Falcon I flew while on the Thunderbirds demonstration team, they wanted to know about the plane’s speed, power, and precision. I answered their questions, of course, but always shared something more important: it isn’t about what the plane is capable of; it is always about the people responsible for flying--and the 𝙏𝙍𝙐𝙎𝙏 between us. When the focus is on systems, processes, and outcomes, it’s easy to forget that 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙞𝙨, 𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚, 𝙖 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧.

 

𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲

𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥--𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚. Here’s why: when people know they’re partners in the mission, not just a means to an end, they bring all of their energy and experience, proficiency and potential to the table. To achieve exceptional results, you must create an environment where every individual employee can perform at their highest potential. The diverse perspectives of each team member create a depth of understanding that leads to success.

 

𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

So, how do you humanize leadership? Here’s what I know: 𝘾𝙐𝙇𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙀 𝙄𝙎 𝙆𝙀𝙔. It is the foundation of how you and your team operate. Culture outperforms the best strategies in every single instance. You can create the greatest strategic plan of all time, but if your culture doesn’t support its execution, you’ll be flying with one engine out--a risk no leader can afford.

 

Effective leaders intentionally build a culture based on the day-to-day behaviors they model and the standards they hold for their teams. They encourage employees to participate in the mission in the same way. In aviation, it’s called “crew resource management”--the idea that every team member has the authority and responsibility to call attention to things that don’t match the expected behaviors and standards. In military aviation, you might outrank your wingman, but when he or she spots a problem, they don’t hesitate to speak up and contribute to the solution--because lives depend on it. Rank never trumps excellence. And that kind of culture creates psychological safety and builds trust among your team.

 

𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗕𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱

Managing interpersonal dynamics is one of the most challenging aspects of team leadership. Competing priorities, personal conflicts, and communication breakdowns can send teams into tailspins that lead to underperformance. Great leaders courageously navigate these dynamics by addressing toxic team members AND holding themselves accountable for their part in the dynamic. If they don’t, they’ll end up undermining their teams’ progress. Navigating these “invisible dynamics” well is another way to build greater trust.

 

Here’s the bottom line: 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚. Your team will soar if you build a culture where every voice matters, every perspective counts, and every team member knows they’re valued not just for what they produce, but for who they are and what they bring to the mission. When you check your ego at the door, model the behaviors you expect, and create space for everyone to contribute, you become more than a manager--you become a leader.

 

An aircraft doesn’t determine its altitude. The pilot does. As the leader of your organization, YOU are at the controls. Where will you pilot your team?