Aviation Leaders: Build Trust with Crisis Communications

Tragically, on January 29^th, the business aviation community lost two of our own. Casey Crafton of Guardian Jet and Vikesh Patel of GE Aerospace were among those killed in the American Airlines Flight 5342 crash. Our prayers and support go out to their colleagues and families. 

During my service in the U.S. Air Force, I was a formally trained aircraft accident and incident investigator. Fortunately, I never had to respond to a fatality. In the aftermath, it’s the worst call one can ever make.

The issue forces us, as aviation business leaders, to ask ourselves, how well prepared are we to respond to a crisis?

The Role of Leadership Communication

Effective leadership communication is crucial during a crisis. Especially when uncertainty and high stakes demand clarity, trust and decisive action. 

Charles Duhigg, the author of the book Supercommunicators, recently presented a keynote at the NBAA Leadership Conference. During his address, he shared that great communicators excel at three things: translating complex information, building trust and bridging different perspectives. 

These communication principles are essential in crises (e.g., data breaches, COVID and aviation disasters) where unclear facts and severe consequences require leaders to communicate with precision and empathy.

Translating Complexity into Clarity

One of the key principles in Supercommunicators is the ability to simplify complex information. Let’s not kid ourselves; people will assume the worst, and social media will amplify their fears and confusion. 

The great “toilet paper shortage” of 2020 is an example. 

Effective leaders can’t afford to surrender to wild imaginings. We must help our teams navigate uncertainty by quickly identifying and assessing the risk and clearly communicating the plan to our teams.

The good news is that we don’t have to do this by ourselves. Our leadership teams will be a tremendous asset if we’ve invested in hiring the right people. With respect to our brave military members, businesses commonly set up “war rooms” when faced with a sudden loss. The purpose of the war room is to gather and sort through relevant information so you can prepare and respond to the threat.

The war room also brings clarity to the situation for the entire team. People respond to leadership and take comfort in knowing that the leadership team is fully invested in mitigating the risk. Sometimes, seeing the team's dedication to addressing a critical issue calms emotions and brings people back to clearer thinking.

Building Trust Through Transparency

Trust is essential during a crisis, and we as leaders must acknowledge the uncertainty while committing to transparency.

Nothing will ruin a team faster than lack of transparency during a crisis. The Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 illustrate the dangers of poor communication. 

Boeing initially downplayed software issues, eroding trust in both the company and regulatory agencies. When facts emerged, the lack of transparency worsened public perception. This led to prolonged safety concerns and financial damages.

People respect someone telling them how it is, even when the facts make it difficult to do so. If you have an effective war room, you will achieve as much clarity as possible with the information you have. If you’ve hired the right people, you'll be amazed at how they rise to the challenge when they feel that you’ve been honest and transparent with them.

Bridging Perspectives and Fostering Unity

Crisis communication requires addressing different audiences—technical experts, policymakers and the general public—each with unique concerns. Duhigg’s principle of bridging perspectives requires leadership and decisive action. 

After extensive consultation with advisors, a leader eventually will have to make the call on how to move forward. 

At the recent CJI London conference, I spoke with Mike Dwyer, managing partner and co-founder of Guardian Jet, about losing Casey Crafton. Mike’s leadership team has had many sleepless nights trying to do the right thing for Casey’s family and the entire team. However, Mike and his partners had the courage to make the call and implement a solid communication plan, and the healing process is already in motion.

Ultimately, leadership communication during crises must prioritize clarity, transparency, inclusivity and good judgment. By applying the principles laid out in Supercommunicators, leaders can reduce fear, build trust and guide people through uncertainty.

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