Running a Business Feels like Air Traffic Control
Do any other business owners feel like an Air Traffic Controller? It seems like I have all these planes in the air and it’s my job to land them safely.
Any business owner has to know the nuts and bolts of their specific industry. In Finance, there are plenty of rules and regulations advisors must be aware of. But it’s the personal side of business that is most often in flux.
With back to back meetings, phone calls, emails, and walk-ins, our office can get pretty hectic. When the market opens, my phone starts blowing up, and I put my air traffic control hat on.
- Flight 201 You can land in runway B56
- Flight 302 Stay in the air - we got an emergency landing of a small aircraft that needs your runway - what are your fuel levels?
- Flight 540 The skies are open, green light, you are good to depart.
- Flight 404 - Have you solved your mechanical problems?
My aircraft are my clients. I am transporting them from point A to point B. I need to make sure that they and their cargo arrive safely and on time.
Clients want to be heard and understood. Acknowledging that you’ve received their message and that they have been placed in the que is key to retention. Don’t let people get lost in the shuffle. Don’t let two planes collide in the air. Make sure you know where everyone is at any given time. Take each incoming call seriously, there’s peoples lives at stake.
Money is an emotional subject. When there is a problem your clients will let you know quickly and loudly. Customer service means that no client is too small, and no issue should be dismissed. However, a business owner needs to know how to prioritize the chaos. That means, you must put out the fire in the engine room before refilling your coffee.
But one person can’t do every task by themselves. That’s where teamwork comes in.
There are two sections to our office building. The bear pit, where our admin staff works, and the bull pen, where our advisors work. Multiple times a day, we have mini bull pen strategy meetings where I delegate tasks to my team. Being able to delegate tasks and know that it’s getting done is tremendously helpful. The real magic lies in knowing when to throw the ball to a team member vs. running the ten yards yourself. Both win games.
When you successfully land an aircraft, take a beat, give yourself a small pat on the back, and do it all over again. One by one. Step by step. Until everything is in its place.
So, here’s to my fellow air traffic controllers. Whether you work up in a tower, around a boardroom table, or squeezed into a cubical. It’s our job to ensure that everyone gets to their destination safely and on time.
Do you agree with my analogy? Does your job feel a lot like another job? Let us know on Social.
