A few months back I flew with a captain who drove me crazy! It wasn't just one thing, but a combination of many things. Now, I usually pride myself in being able to get along with anybody, so it bugged me that I didn't enjoy flying with this captain. I tried to get over it, but I couldn't. I flew with him a few weeks after that, and my experience flying with him again wasn't just annoyance now, I was flustered, angry, and felt totally defeated. Why did he treat me as if I didn't know what I was doing? I've been flying this plane for nearly 2 years- I know what I'm doing. That day, I left work hoping to never fly with this captain again and was determined to bid avoid him for the rest of my first officer career.
My plan would have worked except I didn't realize he was on my schedule again in just one weeks time, and I didn't realize this until the day before. Oh man! I thought of calling in sick, but that felt too dishonest, since I wasn't really sick. I thought of dropping it, but realized there wasn't enough reserves to do so. I was going to be stuck flying it; there was no way out. So I made a decision- if I was going to have to fly with him, I could love it or hate it; but I get to choose.
I went to work that day trying to think of some great qualities about this captain. I really had to dig deep, but I was determined to think of something. I told myself he didn't realize how unpleasant he was to fly with, he was just trying to do his best and always take safety first.
I cannot tell you how much changing my attitude changed my perspective on how I saw this captain. This, in turn, changed the way the entire day went. Instead of getting annoyed at him for questioning me on everything, I told myself he just wanted to make it home to his kids each week, which made him overly-cautios. I began treating him with kindness, and then you know what happened?!? I began enjoying our time together. We talked about his career aspirations, his goals, and other things that were important to him. I began to see him as a person and a great captain.
I cannot tell you how much changing my attitude changed my perspective on how I saw this captain. This, in turn, changed the way the entire day went. Instead of getting annoyed at him for questioning me on everything, I told myself he just wanted to make it home to his kids each week, which made him overly-cautios. I began treating him with kindness, and then you know what happened?!? I began enjoying our time together. We talked about his career aspirations, his goals, and other things that were important to him. I began to see him as a person and a great captain.
Later that day we had a 2 hour break inbetween flights. When I came back out to the airplane, he had done the walk around, received our clearance, and listened to ATIS for me. He had gone out to the plane earlier than required to get those items done. Now maybe it wasn't a big deal to him, but it was to me. All this time I thought he was awful, when really it was me! My initial perspective on who he was was incorrect. This captain has quirks just like everybody else, but it was my choice to get annoyed and frustrated with them. It was also my choice to change my attitude and find the good qualities in this captain.
Everybody has their own little quirks, and in the aviation industry especially, we have to learn how to deal with everybody's quirks. As crews, we work in a tight environment where tension can quickly decrease the safety of a flight. This is just my opinion, but I think that as first officers we have to learn to be moldable and make every flying experience, no matter the captain, enjoyable. I'm not saying we have to be fake or pretend to be somebody we aren't, but we have to figure out a way to enjoy the day and keep the flight environment safe.
You see, once I told myself that this captain was a good person, I saw him as a good person. I still noticed the things that initially annoyed me, but I saw them as him being cautious and safe. I've flown with him many times since, and each experience is an enjoyable one.
Everybody has their own little quirks, and in the aviation industry especially, we have to learn how to deal with everybody's quirks. As crews, we work in a tight environment where tension can quickly decrease the safety of a flight. This is just my opinion, but I think that as first officers we have to learn to be moldable and make every flying experience, no matter the captain, enjoyable. I'm not saying we have to be fake or pretend to be somebody we aren't, but we have to figure out a way to enjoy the day and keep the flight environment safe.
You see, once I told myself that this captain was a good person, I saw him as a good person. I still noticed the things that initially annoyed me, but I saw them as him being cautious and safe. I've flown with him many times since, and each experience is an enjoyable one.
Can you change your perspective? Is there somebody you could have a better attitude about? If there is, resolve today to find their good qualities and make each day enjoyable for you and the rest of the crew.
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