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Build Better Flight Operations by Developing Leaders

In business aviation as in any other field, good leadership can make all the difference. But too often, flight operations leadership is stagnant or underperforming. Without effective leadership, morale can deteriorate, and operational performance can suffer – and in extreme cases, catastrophe can result.

“Flight operations perform with much higher stakes than other departments in the business world,” explained Chris Broyhill, founder and CEO of AirComp Calculator LLC and an authority on compensation, retention, leadership and culture. “Effective leadership is crucial.”

Understanding the Leadership Gap

Finding good leaders can be a challenge in today’s business aviation industry. Organizations are experiencing high employee turnover, and talented workers are aging out of the workforce. Flight departments can have difficulty attracting and retaining workers with qualities and qualifications required to excel in leadership positions. Too often, they respond by promoting existing staff into leadership positions even when they lack relevant experience or training – or even the desire to take on leadership responsibilities.

“People get promoted because they have the longest tenure, or because they’re the best pilot. But they might have no real leadership expertise and, if asked, might even say they’re not interested in leading others,” explained Jennifer Pickerel, president of Aviation Personnel International, which recruits talent for Part 91 operations. “This sets them up for failure.”

Additionally, flight departments often operate in an organizational silo, without access to leadership resources available to people in other departments. And flight operations working for high-net-worth individuals can be even more insular than their corporate peers.

Steps Organizations Can Take

According to Jeff Poeppelman, chief pilot for a major financial-services corporation, the key is to take a considered, strategic approach to leadership development. “You’ve got to be intentional, and not expect that leaders will just learn what they need on the job,” he said.

The first step is to understand key traits that make for effective modern leadership. These include:

  • Industry and organizational knowledge
  • Communication skills, including the ability to listen and take feedback
  • Transparency
  • Self-awareness
  • Accountability
  • Flexibility

The ability to align and motivate a variety of people with a variety of learning styles

“Today’s workforce includes people from five generations,” explained Pickerel, referring to the final point above. “Leaders need to reach them all.”

Organizations can take the following steps to improve leadership:

  • Partnering with HR to take advantage of existing expertise and resources
  • Conducting assessments and setting goals to understand, and identify steps to bridging, leadership gaps
  • Providing mentors and trainings
  • Succession planning to ensure that important knowledge doesn’t walk out the door forever when leaders move on

NBAA can be an important part of these efforts. For example, NBAA’s Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) program is widely recognized for helping develop industry leaders. The association’s annual Leadership Conference offers leaders an opportunity to take several days from their busy schedules – a valuable opportunity they might not often get – to network and elevate their skills. NBAA Professional Development Program opportunities targeting leadership are available next month in Las Vegas, NV, prior to the 2024 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE).

Steps Leaders Can Take

Leadership should be an individual priority as well as an organizational one. Reading books on leadership and workplace psychology is essential for leaders. So is networking with industry peers. Even taking on leadership positions outside of work – in community organizations or at church, for example – can help individuals develop skills that will lead to better job performance.

People coming from the military should also understand that business aviation leadership is different from what they may be used to. Private-sector workers may not be as aligned around or engaged with workplace goals as military members, and veterans may find there’s a need for discussion, feedback and flexibility that you won’t find in military settings.

“’Eyes open, mouth shut’ is excellent advice for military members moving to new assignments,” said Broyhill, who is a military veteran himself. “In other words, watch and learn how and why things are done before trying to impose your will on decision-making or make your mark on the culture. The same advice holds for those entering the private sector.”

The Importance of Culture

Quality leadership stems as much from organizational culture as from skills and experience among individuals. To successfully align, motivate and retain teams in the private sector, experts say operators should look beyond performance culture, and create a growth culture.

In this model, leaders don’t just try to squeeze performance out of people – they view employees as unique individuals, working with each one individually to help them develop professionally. And they don’t just claim to want feedback – they actively seek it, and act on what they learn.

As a result, people see each other as resources, not as interchangeable, plug-and-play pieces. They have a voice. This gives them a feeling of emotional safety – making them feel more valued, and typically helping them to engage more deeply in their work. It also encourages informal leadership across the team – driving better collaboration and overall performance. As team members are promoted, it supports better prepared leadership moving forward.

“Turnover can be very costly, and building the right culture is by far the most sustaining form of retention strategy. On the East Coast, for example, it can cost $750,000 to replace a long-range pilot,” concluded Pickerel. “A good culture helps organizations avoid that kind of cost.”

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