I want to pose a question. Would it be worth it to invest 30 to 60 minutes a day, five days a week, to learn something that makes me a better leader, a better thinker, a better version of myself?
In 2023, I had knee surgery on my right knee. Couldn’t drive. I needed to get to our office in Reno. So I chartered a flight from Redding to Reno. My life has been forever changed. I got into the plane and the pilot offered for me to sit in the front seat with him. I had always wanted to learn how to fly so I basically was transformed into 8 year old Eric. Asking, what’s that button do? Can I pull on this? Why did you do that? What the hell did he just say on the radio?
Within 3 months I started flying lessons. There is 55 hours of required ground school, plus hours and hours of flight time with an instructor. It has required regular reading, refreshing on rules and emergency protocols, weekly practice, and devoted time and energy. I love it. I am totally addicted.
Flying has given me a totally new perspective on our businesses. Not just the perspective of seeing everything from up high. It changed my perspective on a multitude of things we do in our business. As I learned new things about flying I would share with Tiffany and we would both think of ways how we could apply that to our business. I got my pilot’s license last December. I am continuing my training for new certifications and endorsements.
Examples of how learning aviation has changed things in our business…
- How we do training (step by step, using acronyms)
- What it feels like to have a whole new vocabulary (introducing dental vocabulary to team members)
- Checklists (reduce human error, set expectations and standards)
- What it feels like to be new at something (onboarding team members)
- Communicating during surgery (closed loop communication to eliminate errors)
- Looking at things big picture. (Issues seem small when you step back and look at it from the big picture)
When I started flying, I did it for fun and as a way to later reach our current and future locations. It has given me so much more than just fun.
It makes me wonder what else I should be learning and how the next thing will change my perspective