Re-aligning Personal and Organizational Guides Could Moderate Inevitable Turbulences

By Mwangi  Wanjumbi – Newtimes B.S. CEO & Chief Consultant/Trainer

Every car driver is certainly familiar with the dashboard, which exhibits the situation of the vehicle. It displays the speed, engine temperature and many more variables. Red signs on the board indicate danger, which needs to be attended to, almost immediately. The fuel tank could for example be running dry or the temperature gauge could be rising unusually, thus indicating a problem with the charging or automated systems. How does the situation of the car compare with that of the aeroplane?

The simplest malfunctioning in the latter could instantly spell danger. Nonetheless, the meaning and reaction to the numerous danger signs visible in the pilot’s cabin may not mean the same, or attract similar reactions as such, as those of the car, as I learnt sometimes ago.

Prior to the September 2001 twin bombing of the then World Trade Centre in New York, the pilot’s cabin was easily assessable. So, while flying back home from one of the then frequent overseas trips, I met this flight officer whom we used to interact in social circles. After exchanging pleasantries, he offered to take me for a tour of his duty station, the flight cabin.

The sight of numerous blinking red lights displayed on the flight cabin screens was not only striking, but also scaring. In shock, I sought to know what they were all about. The flight officer casually intimated that the same were indicators of the faults being experienced by the aeroplane.

“How is the machine functioning normally under such circumstances,” I worryingly enquired.

“Do not panic; we are aware of the same and we believe we are safe,” he volunteered without the slightest signs of worry. Nevertheless, we safely landed back home.

Thereafter, I developed an almost irreparable flight phobia for a long while. I simply could not come to terms with imaginations of numerous aeroplane faults, which the flight officers seemingly treat so casually. It is only in the recent years that I have come to learn a few tips about flying. Before any take off, the flight is carefully programmed to the minutest detail. Thus the mission and even vision are carefully determined and aligned depending on the destination. When the aeroplane becomes airborne, the autopilot immediately takes full control.

Up in the air however, there are occasional storms and ebbs that violently keep distracting the flight plan. These turbulent moments can be very discomforting and even frightening as many fliers may have witnessed. Sitting near the wings especially, makes it feel like the plane could fall apart any minute.

Meanwhile, all the resultant upheavals are continually recorded. The blinking red signals earlier explained are not necessarily faults, but rather records of distractions and the respective causes of action, as the auto pilot keeps re-routing the plane back on the programmed course. Does this compare to our day to day experiences in a relatively turbulent world?

Very well indeed. When we purposefully chart our lives, we are able to maintain focus. The routes are denoted by our personal missions and visions. They are also continually aligned by our values as we persistently pursue the desired destinations. Values in this case denote strongly held beliefs on the concepts of right and wrong. These performance drivers as they are holistically termed are supposed to continually lead us into desired success not only as individuals but also organizations. Remember that organizations are artificial persons who are given this status through operation of the law.

In the meantime, the visions are our dreams of what we continually imagine to achieve within predetermined medium terms or the foreseeable future. These dreams are constantly represented in form of our desired goals, which can be broken into daily, weekly, monthly or even annual goals. Achieving daily goals leads to achievement of weekly goals. Achieving weekly goals culminates to monthly and finally annual goals. The end result is accomplishing full life goals.

Is this making sense? If not, it is understandable. At some time in the past, I also thought that these things are abstract and only meant for the bookshelves. Today, the perceptions are different. Actually, I view most of the books that I keep reading, as documentations of the authors’ observations and sometimes hands on experiences worth sharing.

Management Gurus and motivation theorists for example spent endless years studying and documenting all the principles and practices that we sometimes take so much for granted. Many times, we fail to embrace those well thought out real life historical lessons, which are continually being improved on. The effect is that we constantly land into difficult situations if not completely getting off track.

All is not lost though as we now realize. Our organizational culture change/employee re-branding and business leadership solutions have been helping in fast-tracking the inevitable re-alignments. Like in the case of the auto pilot, we could each be better off staying on course guided by our unique personal and organizational attributes as the different situations keep demanding. Meanwhile, do enjoy a re-aligned week.