I was flying home from Florida on Sunday night, and it included a stopover at Philadelphia. The clouds over Philly were super thick, and it seriously looked like we were flying into mashed up cotton wool on our descent approach to the airport. Because it was an evening flight, it was starting to get pretty dark and you really couldn’t see anything but cloud.
The pilots, for all intents and purposes, were flying blind. They were looking at the same cloud cover I was; they were seeing the same nothingness that I was. Except they were having to navigate 200+ people through it, of course.
All they had to guide them was the technology in their hands and a voice on the ground that was giving them their flight course. Three people, putting faith in technology and each other, to guide a 30-tonne piece of metal through a sky of nothing. Trusting the voice on the ground that nothing would pierce through the clouds and into our jet; and trusting the pilots to do their job without fear of the darkness ahead of them.
We can learn from that, in everything we do. We have technology around us that makes our lives easier and helps impossible tasks become possible. But we need to trust the people that are around the technology as well.
On our blogs, we need to trust our readers and invite them to share their knowledge with us. We don’t know everything; our readers can help.
In our businesses, we need to trust each employee and involve them in the process. Sure, there will be moments that levels need to be maintained for some decision-making; but don’t keep employees in the dark while these decisions are being made. They’re our lifeblood; without our employees we have no business.
Our online and offline connections put trust in us every day. They trust us to be open with them, and not BS them. In return, we trust them as well; we share their news and promote their content. We use the latest technology to do so, but it comes down to mutual trust and faith between people to enable that sharing in the first place.
We’re all flying blind; but if we build enough trust in each other, at least we can fly blind together and maybe guide each other home. Ready to fly?
If you enjoyed reading this post, please feel free to share with your networks using the social icons above. You can also leave your thoughts in the comments below and/or subscribe to danny brown to ensure you receive the latest updates.
great analogy danny. its very important to trust and to work together. everybody has a different skill set and vantage point – and their insights can be extremely useful. this is especially apt for the workplace. different tasks definitely create different perspectives, and sometimes the view from the trenches can add a lot to the view from above.
Couldn't agree more, Judith. Your point ties in perfectly with what my trip was all about – bringing different people together because of different strengths, and knowing that we'll need each other's trust to make what we're working on happen.
Twitter: JeffHurt
Great analogy of trust and belief Danny.
Frequently, I send important documents by Federal Express. I once hired a speaker who helped start FedEx and he described the Memphis facility where at that time 750,000 pieces were being processed every night. It was a stunning display of technology and organization.
But like any act of sending, it began with an act of trust: I give you something of value and trust you to take it beyond my sight and deliver it. I give FedEx something I value and trust them to deliver it to the right location by the right time.
Sending something requires one to let go of control. As a wise teacher once said—to an audience who were sure he was talking about someone else—our main spiritual crisis is control. We want to “be sure.” We manage both sides of a conversation. We give people assignments, then hover. We “manage risks.” (What a marvelous illusion!) We give them the task, then immediately try to do it ourselves.
To send a package, we must trust someone to deliver as promised. To believe, we must trust others to deliver as promised. To fly, we must trust the pilots to steer the plane. We can’t do it all.
That's a great example you just used there as well, Jeff. I used to work at FedEx back in the UK, and although it's this huge beast of a corporation, the human factor behind it all was evident everywhere you looked. It's the perfect example of the big business that thinks like a family one.
Flying Blind http://bit.ly/1ryWPl via @dannybrown <~Sometimes it takes more than vision to truly see, excellent post!
via uberVU
How trustworthy are you? RT @tweetmeme Flying Blind | @dannybrown http://bit.ly/10mLjX
via uberVU
Twitter: HennArtOnline
Danny,
What an intuitive post, a perfect analogy!
As one who is legally blind, my other senses have become so acute, guiding me through life, as a built-in radar. In a sense, I have developed the ability to *see* and *feel* better than most…blind trust, in all ways.
You are correct. It takes *trust* and an unequivocal ability to not doubt *intuition.*
What one may lack in vision, one gains accuity in insight.
So, yeah…am always flying and ready! When's our next flight??? :~)
That's wonderful Danny. Good insight. Trust is so important in relationships and we forget that relationships are important in themselves — even in online businesses. My fav line: “it comes down to mutual trust and faith between people to enable that sharing in the first place.” Thanks Danny for that post.
I love how your analogy.
I know of a person who doesn't want to give up control to technology. She uses a computer for just word processing and probably excel needs. She has never been on the Internet and does not have an email address.
I am not quite sure how television and radio were taken back in the day.
But technology is making our life easier but you need to remember the human factor. I am having a crash course on how effective my network really is.
Anytime you wish, Henie.
I didn't know you were legally blind – and you're right, that has given you an immense ability to see things the rest of us miss. Here's to that never changing.
Sometimes a crash course wakes us up to the longer path ahead, Jamie. Here's hoping it works out for you.
Thanks Danny,
I am doing a one week social media campaign and then I moved into media relations and through the person I am working for a loop. I guess he under estimates the power of LI and how you can establish contacts that way…
I wonder how it will turn out. I still need a lot of help with press releases and stuff like that. I wasn't a PR major but I enjoy media relations and networking.
Jamie
Good point here Danny.
“In our businesses, we need to trust each employee and involve them in the process. Sure, there will be moments that levels need to be maintained for some decision-making; but don’t keep employees in the dark while these decisions are being made.”
The trick for me is making this important. Life is busy and each day at work is busy. I get focused on things and plain forget to do the little things that make an impact like involving employees in decision making.
I also find that a lot of employees don't care to be involved or don't express interest. Now, that said, if I'd involve them they may care more so I still need to take the time.
It's a mentality.
http://twitter.com/franswaa
That's true, Frank, not all employees want to be involved as well. I guess the trick is in trying to have that mentality from the beginning and having the involvement. Which, as you say, can come from the extra time invested in them. It's a definite balancing act and one that isn't always easy, but sure as heck is worth the effort.