The US Airways crash on New York’s Hudson River is a powerful tale of a potential tragedy-turned-miracle. However, I hesitate to use the word “miracle” because at its core this story is really about talent. Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III had the capability to navigate this crisis calmly. He undoubtedly had experience and skill on his side — the 57-year-old former Air Force fighter pilot had been flying planes since he was 14.!@!
This story made me wonder whether employees within an organization can develop these same types of skills — courage, level-headedness and quick-thinking under pressure. Can learning about crisis management help us maneuver through an organizational disaster of our own? How is your team equipped to handle an organizational disaster?
Even if we don’t have Sully’s level of expertise in our own professions, we can still learn from his actions on that flight about how to manage a crisis. Having these types of skills in a crisis may determine whether your organization lands on top or on bottom.
