Chances are, you do many things well. As a business owner, this may have been imperative at times, especially in the early days when you had no choice but to do it all yourself.

Then at some point your business gained traction. The opportunities continued to grow, but so did the complexities of running the business.

Along the way, you may have become comfortable in certain roles such as being the ultimate decision maker, the go-to person for business processes, or just the person that seems to have all the right answers. Everyone wanted a piece of you!

Sure, the “pop-pop-fizz-fizz” of Alka-Seltzer can provide temporary relief for an upset stomach, but it can only help so much.  Usually the problem stems from eating spicy or greasy food, so if you continue to eat the wrong foods, the stomachache just keeps coming back.

Lesson #8: leadership lessons from the cockpit

Once upon a time in aviation, flight crews faced a culture of hierarchical command where it was considered disrespectful, if not insubordination, to question the captain’s authority. Doing so risked possible retribution.

Lesson #7: Leadership Lessons from the Cockpit

I used to be a bit intimidated by Air Traffic Control (ATC). I believed they were the ultimate authority for each flight, and I went to great lengths to always follow their instructions. But as I gained a better understanding of my roles and responsibilities in the air, I realized that I’m the one ultimately accountable for the safety of each flight. That means sometimes questioning or refusing ATC’s direction. Consider these examples:

Lesson #6: Leadership Lessons from the Cockpit

Takeoffs and landings are truly the most exhilarating part of flight. They’re sexy—they get the blood running and often lead to bragging rights or ridicule (depending on the end results).