From Chapter 4: "Preparation: When the Wind Blows" in Ingredients of Outliers Effort + Preparation = Excellence Having illustrated what dangerous and tragic results can occur as a result of inadequate preparation and, inversely, the amazing results of the response to danger by a thoroughly trained and prepared flight crew, let me switch gears. I began this chapter with some words of wisdom by a man named Joel Weldon. You may not know who he is, so let me introduce you to him. A former construction worker, he turned down a four-year college scholarship because he thought he wasn’t … [Read more...]
Hero of the Hudson
From Chapter 4: "Preparation: When the Wind Blows" in Ingredients of Outliers Hero of the Hudson Almost certainly, you’re familiar with the story of an actual aircraft emergency which happened on January 15, 2009 and made headlines around the world. An early afternoon flight under the command of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and it had just left New York’s LaGuardia Airport bound for Charlotte, North Carolina when it experienced an emergency which put the lives of the crew and its 150 passengers in immediate and serious danger. Climbing 3,000 feet with copilot … [Read more...]
The Importance of a Checklist
From Chapter 4: "Preparation: When the Wind Blows" in Ingredients of Outliers An Important Tool During my careers as a physician, attorney, and entrepreneur—and as a pilot—I’ve come to rely heavily on a relatively simple but highly effective tool to ensure that I’m thoroughly prepared to carry out my prescribed responsibilities, as well as to respond effectively should something unexpected occur. That tool is called a checklist—a significant asset, in a wide range of activities, to prepare to deliver positive results and prevent negative ones. A pioneer and a … [Read more...]
Near Fatal Experience
Being prepared is something that has saved my own tail in a few sticky situations. In fact, just last year, I was involved in a near fatal airplane crash. I was the passenger in the cockpit of a plane, which crashed on takeoff. A pilot friend was flying when a gust of wind hit us right at the moment of takeoff from a mountain airstrip. The plane veered off the runway to the left and then back to the right before striking a hangar. Luckily, the person in the backseat near the exit (also a pilot) kicked the door open a moment before impact. Otherwise, we would have been trapped. The pilot … [Read more...]