What seat do you take on an airplane, and why? There are pros and cons to each seat, except the middle seat. We can all agree that the middle seat is the punishment seat of all transportation. People who like the middle seat are a rare crossbreed of an extreme extrovert and auctioneer. The folks that will talk to a rock and talk so fast that you can’t get a word in to explain that you’re wearing noise-canceling headphones for a reason. The other two seats are window and aisle. Which one do you choose if given the opportunity? The aisle provides you unrestricted access to the bathroom and your overhead luggage. The window gives you a view and something to lean on.
Leaders take the window seat, and leaders raise the window curtain. During take-off, your flight attendant will typically ask that you raise your curtain. Don’t just gawk at the stripes on the ground as you speed towards the end of the runway. Keep the curtain open until you hit the clouds. Watch very carefully as you see your entire perspective of what was on the ground change before your eyes as the plane climbs higher and higher. You see highway systems connected in ways that you couldn’t see from your car. You see farmland divided into segments that you couldn’t see from the ground. You see the city, rivers, and neighborhoods differently than ever before from 10,000 feet above the earth. Everything changes yet again from 20,000 and then 30,000 feet.
As a leader, you must learn to get off the ground and look at what you lead from above. From above, you can clearly see your surroundings, mission, and systems. From above, you have a clear vision! Next time you fly, take the window seat. Pay extra for it if you need to. Roll up the window shade and take in the view. Then, when you reach your cruising altitude and everyone else zones or zonks out, get busy thinking through your leadership from your window seat. Take some time today to get out of the weeds and get in the sky. Good leaders lead with a sky view and a ground game. As always, stand on truth and lead with grace!
Zack Funk 