“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain. Today we will try to fly this plane all the way to Paris.” I don’t know about you, but if I heard such an uncertain announcement from the highest ranking leader on that airplane, I'm pretty sure I would get off and catch the next flight.
THE WORST WORD IN LEADERSHIP
Suppose you board an airplane for a nine-hour transatlantic flight with three hundred other souls. After the usual announcements about stowing your luggage and fastening your seat belts, the captain comes on the speaker, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain. Today we will try to fly this plane all the way to Paris.” I don’t know about you, but if I heard such an uncertain announcement from the highest ranking leader on that airplane, I'm pretty sure I would get off and catch the next flight.