When coming in for a bombing or strafing run, fighter pilots use a target aperture to ensure the jet is lined up properly. However, hard won experience and training have taught them not to get overly fixated on that narrow aperture. This is because too many pilots became target fixated and as a result lost their three dimensional orientation, and augered in–crashed.
For fighter pilots, opening the aperture means widening your field of view to take in more information about the overall aerial situation and maintaining—or regaining—overall situational awareness in order to keep both plane and pilot intact.
Opening the aperture is a critical skill for leaders to have, especially when under pressure or during crises when the world seems to close in and your options seems to disappear.
In these circumstances, when “something must be done,” you will have the tendency to revert to “default” behavior and exhibit analytical and decision-making biases that may be inappropriate for the situation at hand.
Keeping your aperture open is also important because the higher up you go, the less willing your people will be to disagree with you. This means that you can get trapped into thinking that your ideas and solutions are the best ones.
All of these factors can lead to bad decision-making and negative consequences for the organization.
Being able to keep your aperture open means that you must know the signs “target fixation,” have the courage to ask for input from others, and have the humility to modify your stance and opinion if the information and circumstances dictate.
Doing so will help prevent you from augering in as a leader.
By Joe Scherrer | The Leadership Crucible