Flying? Check.

I added a back side to my airplane checklist today. It’s not for me, it’s for you.

Being a pilot is a lot like being a CEO. Many decisions that are spoken about as absolutes are actually negotiable. Much of the work of both are judgment calls. But in times of crisis, we revert to training not creativity.

It’s not fair to push that judgment down to inexperienced or less accountable people, so the buck stops in the left seat in the airplane and at the head of the table in the boardroom. But what if something happens to the boss? In the office, you’d be surprised how much time you have to figure it out. Same in the cockpit.

For the plane, I added instructions and photographs that assure the flight can continue for minutes to hours while those onboard figure out what to do if the pilot is in trouble. In 25 years, I’ve never heard of someone truly being incapacitated outside of the airlines and unable to land, but I’m sure its happened on a rare occasion.

Unfortunately, I have been firsthand exposed to several companies where the seniormost leader died in the last year. As in the air, things keep running for a while, but they are not progressing. Stress builds, value erodes. Torture for those left behind.

Maybe it’s time to make your own checklist for your family and subordinates. Contacts, documentation, and best practices. Do it for them, it’s not for you.