What flying a plane taught me about leading people with Barry Eustance

What if the skills needed to navigate a commercial aircraft through crisis could transform how we lead organizations? Barry Eustance's remarkable journey from cockpit to corporate leadership reveals powerful parallels between aviation safety and organizational excellence.

Barry's fascination with flying began at age five when a captain invited him onto the flight deck during his birthday flight. That moment sparked a lifelong passion culminating in a career that bridges aviation and leadership development. Through his experiences, Barry illuminates how the airline industry's evolution from authoritarian command structures to collaborative teamwork mirrors the transformation needed in modern organizations.

The podcast explores how tragic aviation accidents forced a fundamental rethinking of leadership approaches. The development of Crew Resource Management shifted focus from rigid hierarchies to team-based decision-making—a change that saved countless lives and offers profound lessons for business leaders. As Barry explains, "The people who make you a leader are the people that you lead and those are the people you serve." This philosophy underpins his PEOPLE framework for change leadership: People-centric leadership, Empowerment, Optimizing the organization, Purpose-driven vision, Learning, and Embedding change.

Perhaps most fascinating is Barry's discussion of FIPTDODAR, an aviation emergency protocol that translates seamlessly to business crisis management. When facing critical situations, the first imperative remains "fly the airplane"—a powerful reminder that amid problem-solving, core operations must continue. This structured approach prevents the dangerous fixation on specific issues while neglecting fundamental responsibilities.

As organizations increasingly integrate artificial intelligence, Barry offers balanced perspective on technology's potential and limitations. While acknowledging AI's value in handling routine tasks, he emphasizes the irreplaceable human elements of leadership: experience, intuition, and ethical judgment. "AI supports humans, not the other way around," he reminds us, highlighting that meaningful leadership remains fundamentally about people.

Join us for this illuminating conversation that will transform how you think about leadership, decision-making under pressure, and creating environments where teams truly thrive. What aviation-inspired principles might elevate your leadership approach?

See more here What Flying a Plane Taught Me About Collaborative Leadership

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