Transforming The ELT (Part 3 of 5): Through INFRASTRUCTURE — Defining Your Cockpit Culture
On a clear day, January 15, 2009, Captain Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger and crew, including First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, prepared for a routine flight from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina. In the cabin, passengers settled in—parents pulled out crayons for their kids, and business travelers prepped for meetings. However, this flight was destined to be anything but routine.
Two minutes after takeoff, the plane struck a flock of Canadian geese, causing both engines to fail. With no time to return to LaGuardia or reach another airport, Sully made a calculated decision to land on the Hudson River. In an extraordinary feat, they safely ditched the plane on the icy waters. Some passengers and crew sustained serious injuries, but all 155 people on board survived, rescued by nearby boats. This event became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson,” showcasing a team and systems operating at the highest level. (Read a more detailed recounting of the incident here from the National Transportation Safety Board.)
Was the landing truly a miracle, though? We’ll come back to that.
What do we mean by Infrastructure?
Simply put, infrastructure is the scaffolding that enables your team to operate at its highest potential. It encompasses everything from the tools and processes that run your day-to-day business, to the knowledge and plans you rely on in times of crisis. This might include:
· Tools and Processes: Standard tools (such as computers, phones, and office space) and processes (like workflows and project management systems) that keep your business running smoothly.
· Crisis Management: Emergency action plans and team norms that provide a clear path to follow in unexpected situations (which doesn’t necessarily need to mean a crash landing, but rather might be an urgent response to a customer or employee situation).
· Operational Systems: How your team sets and measures goals, communicates, and rewards performance. A well-structured system ensures that everyone knows their role, expectations, and how to achieve success.
· Knowledge Base: Practices for sharing the collective knowledge your team relies on, including documented procedures and best practices.
As Astrid McNellis, Managing Director of MoonStar Partners, puts it:
“Infrastructure isn’t just about physical tools or software—it’s about creating an environment where your team can excel. Effective infrastructure allows each member to carry out their roles efficiently, whether they’re making day-to-day decisions or responding to emergencies. It’s the foundation that supports your team’s success, allowing them to focus on what they do best.”
With a strong infrastructure in place, teams are better equipped to handle challenges, collaborate effectively, and achieve their goals, ensuring a smoother and more productive workflow.
Let’s return to our friends in the air to see how they pulled off their “miracle”.
The "Miracle on the Hudson" may seem like the result of one person's heroic efforts, but it was actually a methodical and calculated response to an emergency. Captain Sully and First Officer Skiles' quick thinking and seamless teamwork were supported by robust infrastructure. Without delving too deeply into the details, this event showcased a well-trained, high-functioning team with systems in place to give them the best chance for success. Key elements included:
Training: The entire crew was highly trained to be able to carry out their duties. Sully and Skiles had thousands of flight hours and miles between them, while the cabin crew was trained on evacuation.
Teamwork: The culture of trust and mutual respect established in the cockpit was crucial during this crisis. Though Sully and Skiles had only flown together on a few prior flights, their strong working relationship and clarity of roles allowed Sully to focus on flying, while Skiles worked every procedure to restart an engine.
Tools: The plane was equipped for extended overwater flight, including the availability of forward slide/rafts, which, while not required, proved crucial for the successful “landing” and evacuation.
Infrastructure elements like these allowed this team to function at a high level under pressure and do the most important work; keeping their passengers and each other safe.
The Lesson for All of Us
The overarching lesson from the "Miracle on the Hudson" applies across industries: proper infrastructure is key to having a well-functioning team that can respond effectively in all manner of situations. Infrastructure – whether it be systems, processes, business practices, or policies – provides the foundation for success on the senior leadership team and across the organization. Sully, Skiles and the entire flight crew’s teamwork, mastery of flight systems, and purpose driven communication demonstrated the power of infrastructure at the leadership level, as well as how it set the stage for the rest of the crew and passengers – all true markers of operating as an Enterprise Leadership Team (see more on the trickle-down effect of an ‘E’LT in our previous article, Transforming the ELT: An Introductory Overview).
Assessing Your Infrastructure
For an easy way to quickly assess whether your ‘E’LT infrastructure supports a highly functioning Enterprise Leadership Team, consider the chart below:
Are you ready to take it to the next level?
If you’re ready to challenge how conducive your leadership team’s infrastructure is to operating as a true Enterprise Leadership Team, the following assessment is a great place to start (rate all statements on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree)):
Our team processes (ie, systems, workflows, communications, etc.) are effective in allowing us to perform efficiently at a very high level.
We have a transparent and effective approach to problem solving and decision-making on our team.
We have the resources (ie, budget, staff, tools, etc.) necessary to carry out the work to be done.
We share information and best practices freely across our team.
Continuous process improvement is a common practice on our team.
The Miracle on the Hudson
Ending with a final nod to the “Miracle on the Hudson”— the lives saved during the flight are undoubtedly the crown jewels of the crew's achievement. While their infrastructure played a crucial role in the successful landing, it's equally important to recognize that their team dynamics enabled them to work seamlessly within their processes and procedures.
Sully and Skiles demonstrated remarkable collaboration, despite their brief history together. Their ability to navigate a stressful situation was partly due to trust and confidence in each other's experience and skillset. Establishing strong team dynamics was second nature to them—introducing themselves and building rapport before reviewing the engine failure checklist (the very procedure they later used to land the plane in the Hudson). By creating a foundation of mutual respect and teamwork before diving into procedures, they built the trust needed to handle the crisis effectively.
Stay tuned for our February article, “Transforming the ELT (part 4 of 5): Through Dynamics,” where we’ll explore how healthy team dynamics create a successful Enterprise Leadership Team that supports a wider organization built on human connection.
In the meantime, take a look at the previous articles in this series, below:
Transforming the ELT: An Introductory Overview
Integrated Growth has been developing leaders, mobilizing teams, and transforming organizations since 1998. Founded by Gretchen Reid, their team of highly skilled consultants and executive coaches are known for building award winning leadership development programs, facilitating strategic planning and team development initiatives, and providing executive coaching to help you achieve your greatest mission. We invite you to schedule a free consultation or visit www.integratedgrowth.com for more information.
AUTHOR – Gretchen Reid is the Founder and CEO of Integrated Growth. With an MS in Career and Human Resource Development, Gretchen has dedicated her 30-year career to working with teams, organizations, and communities in the areas of leadership development, change management, and organizational culture with a strong emphasis on team effectiveness and mobilization. Her expertise has directly contributed to awards within Fast Company, Forbes, and The Association for Talent Development. Connect with Gretchen on LinkedIn.
AUTHOR — Zander Kestly is the Owner and Principal of Camber Risk and Safety. Zander has almost two decades of safety and risk management experience specializing in the Ski, Outdoor Recreation, and Hospitality Industries. He has deep expertise guiding leaders and organizations how to navigate the intersection of business priorities and protecting their people and assets. Zander has significant background managing multiple regulatory and legal frameworks across North America, Europe, Australia, and the Caribbean.