When a video of an American Airlines pilot scolding his passengers during a pre-flight announcement went viral, certain individuals deemed it patronizing.
Conversely, others, including a Harvard University expert, are lauding the pilot’s speech as a representation of robust leadership — particularly in a time when passengers urgently require it.
“I say bravo to the American Airlines pilot. He has every right to do that. He’s the captain of the flight, and he’s in charge of what happens,” conveyed Bill George, an executive fellow at Harvard Business School and the author of “True North: Emerging Leader Edition,”. “If something goes wrong, he has the obligation to go back to the nearest airport and land… and no passenger likes that.”
In the video, which began circulating last week, the pilot established certain ground rules for his passengers — including what they should expect from their flight attendants, and how they should treat each other during the journey.
“Remember, the flight attendants are here for your safety. After that, they’re here to make your flight more enjoyable,” conveyed the pilot. “They’re going to take care of you all but you will listen to what they have to say because they represent my will in the cabin, and my will is what matters.”
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The pilot further included: “Treat one another with kindness. Show mutual respect. It shouldn’t require my reminder … Yet, I must provide it every single flight, as some individuals neglect these principles. They exhibit selfishness and discourtesy, which we will not tolerate.”
He directed passengers to appropriately stow their bags, refrain from leaning on or drifting to sleep on fellow travelers, and opt for headphones instead of broadcasting audio through speakers.
Lastly, the pilot acknowledged the predicament of those seated in the middle: “To those occupying the middle seats, I recognize the challenges you face… Both armrests are at your disposal. That’s my gift to you. Welcome aboard our flight.”
A great example of leadership, but not a one-size-fits-all strategy
The dialogue, which the pilot coined as “a little bit of fatherhood,” provides a contrasting narrative amidst a surge of recent videos showcasing disruptive incidents onboard aircraft. Airlines have registered a notable surge in instances of unruly passengers: nearly 2,500 cases last year and 6,000 in 2021, in comparison to around 1,200 in 2019 and fewer than 1,000 in preceding years, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Since 2021, the FAA has referred over 250 of these instances to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, an action reserved for notably violent occurrences, as reported by the Wall Street Journal in April.
In this context, George extends his admiration for the pilot, acknowledging that captains of commercial airlines “have the right to do these things.”
However, this leadership approach isn’t universally applicable, he emphasizes: “In the office, it’s more nuanced. You’re not dealing with a situation that might put people in physical harm, or could be potentially dangerous.”
CEOs and superiors do “the right to set some standards of behavior,” yet delivering reprimanding lectures in such an environment often engenders a sense of underappreciation among employees, George suggests. Such an approach might lead to a phenomenon known as “silent attrition,” where employees disengage from their roles or even resign.
Rather than resorting to such tactics when grappling with issues of respect within the workplace, George advises engaging directly with the individuals involved to gain insights and formulate a more individualized, empathetic resolution.
“Expressing genuine empathy for someone’s circumstance and being able to walk in their shoes is an essential quality of all leaders,” George affirmed during a 2015 conversation with psychologist Daniel Goleman. “It’s the key element.”
Source: cnbc.com