Monday, September 7, 2009

Heroic Meekness

"One thing I personally try to do is, I try to put myself a little down. I say to my copilots, 'I don't fly very often. Three or four times a month. You fly a lot more. If you see me doing something stupid, it's because I don't fly very often. So tell me. Help me out.' Hopefully, that helps them speak up." - Suren Ratwatte, veteran pilot

Ratwatte was reflecting on a plane crash that had occurred because of a lack of communication, due to a culture with extreme deference or shyness to speak out to a superior officer. That's what happens when co-workers or family members sense an excess of judgment, closed-mindedness, or invulnerability - crashes. We're humans, and we flourish when we act like them.

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