Recently, at a webinar on the topic of “Courage” from One Eight Zero, a smart coaching startup company of Michael Marchetti, for pilots and cabin crew who wish to develop in their professional and private life. I was invited as a speaker (Thank you, Michael!) and was allowed to do what I love doing most: talking about flying and life.
I love to use these opportunities to keenly share my own experiences as well as to learn about and from the interesting experiences of other speakers. This time I had to opportunity to learn a lot from Sabine Zimmer, former Purser and team leader at Lufthansa, and from Martin Stork, once a 737 pilot and executive jet captain.
Are pilots courageous humans?
Good question. The recent years weren't easy for pilots end cabin attendants. Rigid economic measures of airlines, increase in competition, and of course the corona crisis put many of us in a personal crisis which led to question ourselves what we are doing in our profession. A big number of pilots and flight attendants quit their jobs and are trying to re-orient themselves.
For that do you need courage - even for pilots. In aviation we are constantly trained to have a plan B when facing a difficult situation. We have our checklists which tell us what we must do. We have mental tools and techniques to react appropriately in a dangerous situation and keep a cool head and come for a best outcome.
But where is the checklist for life outside of the cockpit?
That one, we must put together individually, to match our own requirements and expectations. Important questions to ask are: Who am I without my pilot uniform and my stripes? What else can I do other than flying an aircraft?
In private, we are not used to try new things and make mistakes while doing according to the motto “trial and error”. As humans we have to make mistakes, so we can learn from them because “FAIL is the first attempt in learning.”
For us as pilots outside of the cockpit making mistakes and to try something new can be quite tricky. But absolutely necessary if we want to continue developing and be equipped for dealing with unexpected situations in the future.
“Use your female part” says a man …
Martin Stork said something very remarkable at the webinar about this: “integrate the female part”. From my perspective this is valid for all pilots especially for those women who are sometimes denying they're feminine, in order to feel more accepted in the still strongly male-dominated cockpit. They seem to be taking over the very masculine mantra such as: “I have to be cool; I have to have everything under control at all times, I always have to bring my full potential and I have to be strong.” Through ignoring the emotional, the feelings, they're depriving themselves of additional opportunities of action in their lives outside the cockpit. My experiences in the cockpit
We don't gain anything from compromising, while ignoring our inner compass and our convictions for the sake of career and for the sake of others. But we gain a lot if we stay true to ourselves. And if it is necessary to get out of the cockpit to achieve that, then we should do that. Because there are other cockpits out there, literally and in a metaphoric meaning.
My own path showed me that every step towards a new career led to an advancement in my life and in my profession. My new employers were not always bigger or paid more but I found more meaning in the new job and it made me happier. And that's what life is all about, isn't it?
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