The Right To Screw Up

I was browsing my LinkedIn account (click here to visit) and I came across a discussion topic in one of the groups asking how did I get to where I am today. Well, in 1977 in Jordan, mentoring was not a common thing nor was career path development. I was hard working and lucky, what else did you guys expect.

I was lucky in the sense, I joined at the time Royal Jordanian was expanding and new organisational functions and structures were being put in place. Another aspect, I had a boss who gave me space to grow and most importantly to make mistakes, and I took advantage of that.

I made mistakes nothing catastrophic but I made mistakes in an era when celebrating failures and mistakes was not the norm. I never covered up a mistake but always learnt from one.

In a way, the boss acted as a mentor, not in the traditional sense but rather by taking the time to talk to me and guide me, beyond what was normally required. He used to say, expand the envelope until you step on someone's toes and they holler; stop and back off; then start again until you get to where you want. Advice that I always used.

Later in my career, in all my subsequent jobs, I had, and in some cases created, the space for me and others to make mistake. I enjoyed mentoring younger people. It was never through a formal program but something I felt I needed to do, as a pay back to the opportunities that life gave me.

The ability to make mistakes is what drives creativity, innovation and the ability to experiment without fearing for your job. Some would think it is a privilege that a workplace bestows, I beg to differ. It is a right of an employee to be allowed to make mistakes without fear or retribution and it is the job of a good boss to create that space so mistakes do not get out of hand.

Mistakes are committed by those who extend themselves on the job and are willing to seek positive change and strive for the next step and excellence.

Dubai Air Show

Sunday the 15th of November the Dubai Air Show 2009 will officially start. It promises to be the highlight of an otherwise very grim year for aviation for many reasons;

1. The number of exhibitors have increased over those of 2007.

2. It is held in an area that has bucked the trend and is actually shows growth.

3. As always people are intrigued to hear what Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways have to

order.

4. The first show held when Social Media is so popular and the ability to catch up through

Twitter and Facebook, great fun.

For first timers Dubai Air Show is an awesome event, with all these aircraft on static display or the 2 hours of flying displays. It fills me with awe every time I watch, even though some o them are the same routines from previous shows. The exhibition halls that house all these big, famous and not so big and famous that make up aviation, all under one roof, so accessible and so friendly and easy to talk to is an inspiration.

For me personally, it is a time of catching up with friends, yes old friends. The ones I thought I lost track of, somehow we all surface again at air shows. Time to check on families and careers; where they were and where are they heading.

It is a time of feeling proud of being part of an industry that refuses to be beaten or put down by recession, terror or politics. An industry that innovates its way out of trouble and never gives up.

In a region where aviation is at the leading edge of technology and all its innovation and creativity.

In a region that showed the world that "yes we can" through 9/11 and all its persisting conflicts, SARS, Avian Flu, H1N1 and recession.

In the course of the coming week I will blog and share events and feelings, I am so looking forward to it.

The World's Favorite Airline

The World's Favorite Airline, who else but British Airways and it is still my favorite airline.

That was true when it was an innovative and efficient airline and lead the industry in setting standards.

Now that tough times have hit, it is fraying at the edges and really getting tattered. I fly with BA home to Detroit from Dubai at least 3 times a year, and I like the multi stops flight because it breaks up a long flight in manageable 7 hours segments. I enjoy the lounge in T5 its naturally well lighted, comfortable and wi-fi connected.

However, off late things have changed at BA.

• I still pay the same price for my tickets I did the previous 2 years and the surcharge is the same as when fuel prices were double ($145 a barrel).
• The staff are still courteous but are a little distracted, abrupt and indifferent.
• The cabin Crew smile but you rarely see them going through the cabin except during the service. All you hear is chatting and laughter in the galley
• Equipment has been downgraded from B777 (my favorite airplane) to squeaky B767.
• Automatic upgrades to Business are a thing of the past, I dare not ask for one because all I got was an abrupt no or quoted a price and no you can not use your miles.
• The food service quality and quantity has deteriorated a little

True to its legacy roots and to stem losses, BA turns and starts putting restrictions on bags for economy. The darlings (First and Business) of the airline having abandoned it, the economy class passenger is the one that feels the pain.

What happened to the innovative management approach that made The World's Favorite Airline or is that a Good Times management style only, come on BA you can do better

Tattered or not BA is still my favorite airline and worthy of my support.

Running scared

It is relatively easy to be successful and somewhat innovative when the economy is booming and life is good so to speak. As the world entered in its deepest recession in decades what made companies successful just lost is relevance, it just became the recipe for disaster. All of sudden these buoyant and confident, and sometimes over confident and damn outright cocky executives, are no longer sure of how to react. They know they have to be more cost effective and more efficient. The product has to be tailored to meet new customer realities.

So, enter first gut reaction, we need to save on expenses, OK so far so good. So please make sure you vet your office related bills and pay for all your personal calls or else we will charge you for the whole bill, and please reduce the use of stationary, and we just go from cost effective to cheap on all non technical purchases. Basically, we went petty.

Then, next gut reaction, no more hiring, full stop end of story, but we need this person for a function that will increase productivity or efficiency. Sorry, no hiring, gotta save buddy.

All of a sudden, they wonder why staff is demoralised, easy it is the prevailing economic malaise, nah more like the prevailing scared and petty once over confident executives. Staff can smell fear guys.

Economic downturns are awful and not a pretty sight but remember cost cutting is subject to the law of diminishing returns and revenue enhancement the sky is the limit. You need cost cutting, efficiency and productivity increase then ask the experts.... duh....... yep you got it champ, ask your employees. Oh you forgot they were part of success and you thought they were coming on your ride. Involve your staff, they know their work, they know what, where and how to give you real savings, real productivity and efficiency.

They also have a stake in making the company thrive, harness their energy. Treat them right and the will Billy Ocean sings "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" http://bit.ly/1DS8jZ