Page 108 - Never Fly Solo

LOSE SIGHT, LOSE FIGHT | 81
is never to lose sight of your wingmen. If you do, you sacrifice
the integrity and capabilities of the entire formation. You also
have to keep sight of the threat, be it a ground target you’re
attacking or an enemy fighter you’re engaging. The eyes are a
fighter pilot’s most lethal weapons, which is why most pilots
are required to have exceptional vision. It takes tremendous
discipline, concentration, and focus to maintain sight in the
heat of battle, where there are a multitude of distractions.
In cases where a wingman does indeed lose sight, it’s
imperative that he call it out quickly. There is no room for
ego. The key is to admit the error, fix it, and continue the
mission.

Staying Visual in Business

The critical importance of staying visual and not losing sight
of your team in business can’t be overstated. Let’s first do a
quick walk-around inspection of your organization. Have you
ever worked for a manager whom you rarely saw? Maybe he
shut himself away in his office, never to emerge and work
with his team. Or maybe he connected with you only once a
quarter during a periodic review, or you heard his voice only
on a monthly conference call. How much did you trust that
person? When you called out Mayday, he probably couldn’t
even hear you, or maybe he was just MIA. How did that make
you feel?
What about the supervisor who always seems to be avail-
able and willing to share her time and advice? Perhaps you
need her to visit that big account with you or coach you on
your sales presentation, and she delivers big-time. Her office
door is open, and she’s on time and on target—always ready
and willing to coach. What do you think about her? I bet you
trust this person.