Blog
The Day I Stopped a Plane
- July 18, 2022
- Posted by: Marcel Sanchez
- Category: Building Teams and Developing Leaders
It was a day I would never forget. I was literally at the end of co-leading a team to Peru. We had 10-days filled with conferences, community events, and visiting Machu Picchu. We served the people through marriage training, local family gatherings, weekend services, and even an action-packed parade with costumes and ATVs. Oh…and we met some great people and ate amazing Peruvian cuisines too.
The day before our flight, the legendary and humble Missionaries in Pisac, Peru—Rudy and Lorraine Johnson—hosted a large event to serve the local community. Up until that afternoon, I had participated in almost non-stop activities—both training and traveling—and my body’s oxygen supply was being affected in more ways than one.
When I woke up the next morning, I was extremely tired from all my activities. I had trained hard, played hard, and traveled hard all 10-days. So, I assumed my body was simply tired and trying to recover from these activities.
Well…not exactly.
Altitude makes all the difference
You see, I lived in Miami, Florida. There are no mountains in Miami. We’re at sea level. Some people believe Miami will be underwater by 2100. But that’s a different conversation. But in many parts of Peru, including Cusco—roughly 7,900 feet above sea level and Pisac—roughly 9,751 feet above sea level—it’s an entirely different elevation.
So, this dude from Miami—that’s me—played intense games of volleyball, trained couples, spoke at church services, and climbed several mountains as if he were still at sea level. Little did I know what difference over 7,000 feet would make on my body before I left.
“You don’t look good!”
Now…back to the story.
Yami, my faithful and beautiful wife, was surprised at my lack of appetite at the airport. She told me, “You don’t look good,” which by the way, was not uncommon. Yami has the sharp eye of an experienced detective. All she lacks is the skill of professional surveillance, but she’s working on it. I was beyond happy to board the plane. I have no problem sleeping on planes.
But this flight was different…very different as we will discover.
Usually, I wait until we’re at a cruising altitude before closing my eyes for a nap. As soon as I sat down and got situated in my chair, I crossed my arms and closed my eyes. You can picture the scene. It’s noisy. People are boarding the plane and getting settled in. My team is onboard. We’re all sitting close to each other and smiling; except me of course. Everyone was pleased with the results of our trip and all the work we did together as a team.
Who Placed the Stop Sign on the Runway?
Now we were all heading to Lima to spend the day shopping before our next flight to the US. The captain made his closing announcements, and the main door was sealed shut. The plane leaves the terminal and starts moving to the runway with greater urgency.
Now can rest. It’s going to be a great flight, right? Well, maybe, but not for me.
As the plane starts taxiing, I went from drifting into sleep to passing out completely. From what they told me, I made a loud noise, leaned over in my chair, and collapsed. I don’t remember that part at all…and that’s probably for the best.
Who moved my seat?
The next thing I remember was lying flat on my back on the airplane floor. As my eyes opened, three people were hovering over my chest. I did not immediately recognize any of them, but they all looked very concerned. As the next few seconds rolled forward, I came to realize exactly what had happened. I passed out and temporarily lost consciousness.
An Unexpected Visit
The three guests at the door of my chest were all trained doctors. They jumped over me and took their positions in Navy Seal soldier-type work. These doctors were with me the entire time. It was an automatic response on their part. Without a stethoscope, thermometer, or x-ray, they provided a fast, expert evaluation.
What was impressive to observe was how well they worked together to determine the root cause of my temporary departure. The airline team at LATAM Airlines Perú (formerly LAN Perú S.A.) notified the captain. Imagine, hundreds of people ready to fly home and the plane makes an abrupt stop. I had never unintentionally stopped a plane prior to this day.
Rocket Teamwork
Airport paramedics rushed to the plane and took me away in a stretcher. It was surreal. Some of my team members were in tears. They had to make the flight without me. Think about all the people involved: doctors, flight crews, paramedics, tower control, etc. There was an agent from the airline that stayed with me from the airplane to the clinic.
It was teamwork at its best when I was at my worst. I was both humbled and grateful. Although the entire event on the plane took less than 60 minutes, it felt like an eternity. But wait…there’s more.
The paramedics took me to one of the best clinics in town. I was evaluated by another medical doctor and given a constant supply of oxygen. He connected the dots between the abundance of activities and my decreasing oxygen levels. It was the perfect storm, so he was not surprised at all by my presence at the clinic. So much for my mild athleticism…it did not matter. I fought oxygen depletion and I lost.
Why do we avoid working together with others?
After resting for a few days, I was ready and healthy enough to board my flight. As I reflect on this amazing experience, a few questions come to mind:
- Why do some students avoid working on group projects whenever possible?
- Why do some employees resist organizing events or serving clients in collaboration with other departments?
- Why do some business leaders protect client information rather than give everyone on their team total visibility and data access to make better decisions?
- Why do entrepreneurs work 80 hours per week instead of building teams to assist with repetitive tasks?
Together is Better
There’s a phrase I often use when training teams, speaking before audiences, and coaching entrepreneurs: “Together is Better.” Why do so many people avoid working together with others? There are numerous reasons—too many for us to list in one article—so here are a few of them:
- Impatience: Some people lack real patience. They have not learned how to develop key soft skills such as emotional intelligence, communication, self-awareness, and leadership.
- Arrogance: Others have a superiority complex. They’re full of themselves. There’s no room for anyone else to contribute. They stand above others, but only in their own minds.
- Narrow-mindedness: Some have very particular outcomes for their work and insist on having assignments completed in a very specific manner. There’s no room for negotiation. This combative approach often pushes people away.
- Unbalanced Roles: One major factor is the inequitable distribution of responsibility. The responsible team member will always go above and beyond if needed. But at times, team members don’t pull their own weight. They get lazy and conflicts surface.
- Poor Quality: There are times when someone’s skill set is significantly less than what’s required to complete a task well. Committed leaders resist poor quality. For this reason, they become hesitant or at the least, highly selective of their team members.
Maybe you’ve experienced one or more of these five areas when working on a team. You tried once…failed. You tried twice…failed again. And a third time…failed yet again. You may avoid the subject altogether, but don’t give up on the power of teamwork.
Maybe you’ve experienced one or more of these five areas when working on a team. You tried once…failed. You tried twice…failed again. And a third time…failed yet again. You may avoid the subject altogether, but don’t give up on the power of teamwork.
Do You Want to Run Fast or Far?
An old African proverb states, “If you want to run fast, run alone, but if you want to run far, run with others. Running with others is the way forward in business and in life. It may require more energy or greater creativity, but it’s certainly worth the investment.
Consider the following possibilities:
- If my company hired a trainer to expand soft skills training with our teams, could we potentially improve individually and collectively as a team?
- If our employees, managers, and executive team members all followed the same online training program, would that help us align better as an organizational team?
- If our company hired a professional coach to help us find ways to work together, better, would that professional coaching experience increase employee engagement?
- If we restructured our teams to allow for greater team engagement and project management, would that better serve our clients?
- If we intentionally involved reserved employees to join new teams, could we potentially discover untapped skills, talents, and abilities to serve our clients better?
Imagine what would happen if your company valued and rewarded team performance over individual performance. What would that tell your employees about your business culture?
How can we develop genuine teamwork in our business?
That’s a great question for business leaders to reflect on and think through practically. Allow me to give you a few practical ideas to help you start and move in the right direction:
1. Model Genuine Teamwork with Your Peers
Demonstrate the Character of Teamwork
It starts with you! As the leader, you set the thermostat for the environment of your team. If the plane you’re leading needs to abruptly stop and change runways, you can do it. Integrity, persistence, creativity, tenacity, humility, and transparency all start with you. Model what you expect and then you can expect what you model. Whatever other character trait will serve your team, show them first how it’s done.
Integrate and Leverage Every skill, Talent, and Ability
To lead your team to collaborate effectively, you must get to know your team members. Culture, family, spiritual life, education, and goals—to name just a few—all shape us. As the leader, determine what is needed to help your team thrive. Grab a whiteboard—or a blackboard if you’re in my office—and start diagramming what essential business skills are needed and what skills are already present. Find those on your team who can best align with each area of need and empower them.
Be Enthusiastically Engaged from Start to Finish
Leaders set the pace and they set the tone. Your energy as the team leader is contagious. If you lead like someone deflated of drive and determination, that energy will spread. But if you lead with hopefulness, excitement, and clarity, that energy will also spread. If you want your team to challenge the obvious and dig deeper, lead the charge. If you want your team to work through this process together, work together with them. “Get dirty” and roll up your sleeves. Watching a leader take charge and work is inspirational.
When your life is literally in the hands of emergency response professionals, no one can convince you that teamwork is not important.
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2. Clarify Team Member Expectations
Define Team Member Responsibilities
Many have said that clarity is the window to opportunity. Clarify what each team member will do—what they need to accomplish—by what date and leave the how—the process—to the skilled team members to figure out. Defining team member responsibilities is not micromanaging; it is macro optimizing. When team members’ expectations are clear, they’re empowered to thrive. You build loyalty with competent team members when you clarify what’s expected and leave them alone to get it done.
Explain Why Their Job Matters to Your Clients
Every team member is a vital part of your team. If you believe that, your team will notice. If you don’t, they will notice that too. Every team member should hear from you directly, about how their contribution makes a difference in the success of your business and the satisfaction of your clients. Tell them regularly why their job matters. If possible, bring in existing clients to tell them.
Clarify What Will Be Measured and What Moves Your Company Forward
People resist working in teams because they don’t always know how they’ll be evaluated. Performance measures matter. It’s your job to make it clear to the entire team. No one enjoys busy work. Instead, they enjoy being productive and making a real difference. Remove all wasteful work—what doesn’t move the team forward—from your scope of work. How will your team know if they’re winning? How will they know if they’re losing? Keep good scores and make the weekly results visible for everyone to see. Meet with your team weekly to check scores and adjust plans accordingly to move forward.
3. Identify and Reward Extraordinary Teamwork
Develop a System to Identify and Report Teamwork in Action
You’ve heard the saying, “What gets rewarded, gets repeated.” You don’t have to add a complex reward system to your budget, but you can improve. Start small. Buy 100 thank you cards and leave them on your desk. Ask everyone in your department to send you an email or complete a card when they see teams collaborate in extraordinary ways that align with your corporate vision, mission, and values. Make a calendar event on your schedule to write 3-5 cards on a specific day. Get into the habit of writing each thank you card and sign them yourself.
Recognize Teams Publicly and Privately
Everyone loves to be recognized and valued for contributing to their team. Never underestimate the value of recognition. People want to be appreciated for their work. As the leader, you must step out in front and model this type of recognition. Maximize every gathering—both large and small—to recognize exceptional teamwork. Make it a point to highlight and thank team members in person for their uncommon work.
Summary
Although it takes time, a culture of teamwork will develop as you get started with these three principles in place.
- Model Genuine Teamwork with Your Peers
- Clarify Team Member Expectations
- Identify and Reward Extraordinary Teamwork
Action Point
Consider the three principles needed to develop a culture of effective teamwork. Write down one action step for you to implement before next Friday for each principle.
Invest in Yourself
Looking for a flexible and self-directed way to grow as a leader and thrive in life?
That’s one of the main reasons I created Imagine Coaching Academy. Get professional coaching and online training courses to accelerate your soft skills, equip your teams, and grow your relationships.
Speaking of growing your relationships, click here to sign up for our 45-minute, complimentary online marriage training, “Build a Stronger Marriage—With Zero Drama—in 12-Weeks Online Training Webinar.”
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