This post is authored by Wing Commander Prashant Singh (Retd), Former Fighter Pilot, IAF
“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”
– Albert Einstein
Prelude
A glimpse of a day in the life of a fighter pilot…
‘Beep, beep, beep… beep, beep, beep… beep, beep, beep… It is the mobile’s alarm attempting to wake me up at 05:30 AM. My hand automatically goes underneath the pillow and presses the cancel button on the right bottom side of the front panel. It is a feature phone. And even in the darkness, I can feel the contours of the phone and know where the button is. It takes about 30 seconds for the eyes to adjust to the darkness. One, two, three, four, five… I am out of bed and folding the blanket and bedsheet, a habit developed over years of rigorous training. In the next 15 minutes, the tea is ready to be had along with the standard two biscuits. Like clockwork, I get ready by 06:00 AM and after few breaths of the fresh, early morning air, I am on my bike for the daily briefing, which is scheduled at 06:30 AM. The sun is still not up as I am on my way to the air traffic control tower, where the morning briefings are usually held, crossing people taking early morning walks, and getting ready for their ‘yoga’ session. After the briefing is over I quickly reach the squadron (the military aviator’s workplace), where I am planned to fly a mission involving four fighter aircraft, two aircraft simulating strike aircraft, and two aircraft simulating enemy aircraft who will be intercepting the strike aircraft. We brief for the mission, grab a bite, walk to the tarmac and get airborne in the aircraft at 08:00 AM. Having flown the mission, I am back at the flight complex by 09:00 AM, debrief in 45 minutes, and then proceed for breakfast. Thereafter, I go over the profile for the next mission and complete it by about 12:30 PM. Thus, by lunchtime, I have flown two combat missions, debriefed, assessed the results, and derived the lessons learned. The next 2 hours are spent preparing for the next day’s missions. At 2:30 PM, we pack up for the day to return for night flying at 6:30 PM, if planned. Having flown a mission at night and debriefed, I am back home by 9:00 PM. When a pilot is not scheduled to fly a mission on any day, he could be entrusted with tasks that contribute to the successful conduct of missions flown by other aircrews in the squadron. All this was interspersed with adequate time for sports, self-study and mission preparation, social events, etc. Naturally, it was not as rosy as it seems and the occasional troughs had their chance to affect my life too. Routines similar to this are usual in fighter flying, and continue for almost 20 years, which is generally the period of active flying.’
Scenario
Fast forward 25 years, I have hung my overalls and my wings rest on the mantle. I have stepped into the corporate world, in the proverbial ‘second innings’. While romanticizing about fighter flying is always a fighter pilot’s desire, my intent here is to share thoughts from personal experience, on how parallels can be drawn with different organization settings, with respect to three vital aspects of motive, training, and change.
Hypothetically, a human with similar intellectual and physical capabilities, similar operating conditions, and the pre-requisite training would largely deliver similar performance in any organization. However, as a primer to the account that follows, I would like to pose a few questions. For example, what goes into achieving a high level of professionalism amongst military aviators? What is the drive and how do learning and training contribute to developing combat pilots? How are they able to engage aerial threats successfully or deliver the weapon at the point of aim, when the window of opportunity is only a few seconds? Does the organizational culture and leadership affect performance? How is the organization adapting to the needs of the digital natives and how are the digital immigrants coping up? In the succeeding paragraphs, I discuss some of these aspects which reflect how high levels of performance can be achieved in an organization by understanding the ‘need to change’ and ‘learning to change’.
Mission
Without dwelling into details, it can be said that a multi-dimensional selection procedure ensures that only those with the right attitude and physical attributes are chosen to become military aviators. The training is rigorous and involves strengthening both the mind and the body. The body – because one should be able to match up with the demands put on the human physiology when encapsulated in the highly advanced combat aircraft and maneuvering in 3-dimensional space; and mind – so that the cognitive abilities help in responding suitably to the rapidly evolving situations. The age at the time of selection is such that both the brain and the body are hitting the peaks of optimal performance, and the ability to learn and train is very high. With the right priming and motivation, the training is designed to achieve the objectives in a pre-designated timeframe. Under the watchful eyes of the instructors and staff at the training academies, young graduates are transformed into military aviators who are able to fly aircraft –trainers at first and then graduate to more sophisticated and advanced fighter, transport, or rotary-wing aircraft, later.
“One learns from books and example only that certain things can be done. Actual learning requires that you do those things.”
– Frank Herbert
Train to Win
Military training is about war and aviation is no different. The goal is to win. This is at a very high level and is decomposed through different levels of the organization and finally, it is about mission success. Success is further measured against well-defined objectives. This is achieved through the application of the in-depth knowledge of aircraft operations, airborne systems and tactics to be resorted to when faced with a situation. By following a building block method during different stages of training, the subsequent stages build on the previously acquired proficiencies. Besides professional development and growth, pilots are expected to manage precious resources that carry immense costs and value in terms of life(s). While periodic learning and training courses for capacity building are dovetailed with career progression, necessary mindset and skills are built upon to participate in larger exercises, manage greater numbers of aviation assets, human resource, and needless to say, technology. One of the most crucial aspects is that he also becomes responsible to impart training to young entrants on a new aircraft. While doing this, implicit experiential knowledge and skills are shared from one generation of pilots to the other, and preserved through historical archives and personal records.
Evaluation of Performance
Evaluation is an essential part of any military training. Though it is dependent on a multitude of other factors like recency, an opportunity for repetition, suitability of environment, etc., the extent of transference of skills acquired during training is directly evident in performance on the ground. At the field level, there is a well-formulated and continuous process for the evaluation of learning. His performance is evaluated (both formative and summative) scrupulously at every moment, while on the ground or during flight, by his superiors and subordinates. A buddy is also nominated who provides guidance and coaching for improvement in skill and attitude-based tasks on a day-to-day basis. The rigor in the training is built-in through continuing education programs, in-service training, and inter-service courses which enable an air warrior to continue to deliver the desired results as he progresses in his career. Performance is evaluated comprehensively during external audits by examining boards and inspection teams that function under the directions of the headquarters. This ensures that the operational readiness of the force is always high, and the cutting edge is sharp.
Leadership and People
The nature of the geostrategic environment and advancements in technology necessitate that the organization evolves and adapts continually while retaining its core values. The leadership that has risen from within the rank and folds of the organization epitomizes professional excellence, enhancement of knowledge, skills, and abilities, and thus, mirrors the organizational policies with regards to staffing and succession planning. These leaders also develop the long-term vision and ensure that it is carried through successive generations. Communication channels have been established to enable people to connect with leadership at the highest possible levels. By having their ears on the ground and continuously interacting with people at different levels of the organization – combatants as well as the non-combatants; the leadership is able to sense the pulse of the organization. All of these help the leader in building trust and mutual commitment with the people, and further motivate them to give their best.
“We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.”
– Peter Drucker
Culture and Drive
How does the organization support the values and ethos that it enshrines? Culture, processes, and systems are symbiotically related and hence, support and drive each other. The culture of professionalism and sacrifice amongst air warriors is built upon years of history, narratives of air operations, institutions, and individuals. It is mirrored in the vision, mission, and goals of the air force which are crafted by visionaries who understand and appreciate the evolving requirements over the long run. This is ensured by policies, and proliferated through the selection of the right group of people, building systems to train them, and providing an environment conducive for development and growth.
So how do military aviators do what they do? Besides the pure rush of adrenaline when a pilot flies a combat aircraft and the bursts of dopamine released on achievement of objectives, performance is driven by professional pride, the higher purpose of service to the nation, and the implicit underlying thought of making the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. These intrinsic motivators are ingrained through regimentation, which goes on right from the day of entry into the organization to the end of one’s career. To be able to take on the challenges of the emerging strategic environment, training and development are planned in such a manner that there is minimal stagnation, and the desire for learning and performing becomes the most decisive aspects of the life of an air warrior.
The Evolving Work Force
Born in the age of computing, the internet, and mobile technology, today’s air warriors are digital natives, and quite a few young pilots have taken up the profession of military aviation to fulfill their passion for a sense of achievement, doing something which has a greater purpose, for the challenge and for adventure. The organization also has responded by developing well-defined roles and tasks, which the younger generation shoulders with a high degree of responsibility. By utilizing technology in assessment during audits, courses of learning, and training, evaluation of performance has become more objective and instantaneous. Greater use of simulators, virtual and augmented reality has resulted in improved performance since diverse scenarios can be programmed, and missions can be practiced in near realistic environments. The human resource policies have also evolved to provide congruence between organizational and personal goals with a wide scope for self-development and realization of the dreams of the current generation.
Change is Constant
Success and growth of any organization is dependent on the pool of human resource it has. The salience of the human element has increased, especially with regards to the impact that a small number of people can make on the strategy, decisions, implementation of plans, and overall success of the mission. While the shift to unmanned systems is still some time away, advancements in aviation technologies, the changing threat environment, and rapidly evolving situations have added a considerable workload on the man in the loop. The current generation of air warriors is already pushing the limits and applying their skills to explore new boundaries of aircraft and system performance. People from Gen X and Gen Y have changed from fixed mindset to growth mindset. Being digital immigrants, they have had to unlearn quite a few things from the past, and frequently rely upon the younger generation to educate them about the new technologies and systems; and they are at ease with this fact. Change is the new norm now, and this understanding has kept the air force on the path of technological transformation for over two decades.
Learning is Constant
Peter Senge had propagated the idea of learning organizations in his book, ‘The Fifth Discipline.’ Probably, the essence is now clearly evident in the rapidity and scale at which the nature of the work and workplace is transforming. In the knowledge economy, people at key positions will need to have a greater depth and breadth in the knowledge domain. Specifically, military aviation is highly technology-dependent. Modern aerial combat platforms and weapon systems are more potent and accurate as compared to legacy platforms by several orders of magnitude. Since people have to continuously upgrade their knowledge about airborne platforms, weapons, and command and control systems, learnability is one of the key sought-after traits at the time of entry. It is not only the psycho-motor skills that need to be learned but also, the cognitive abilities, since the workload in the cockpit and while handling systems has increased dramatically. Concepts like online learning, just-in-time training, bite-sized modular training, on-demand training, and blended learning have added new dimensions to the learning and training of air warriors. For best return on investment (RoI), post-course utilization is planned in the form of deployment at suitable locations which provide adequate opportunities for application and further enhancement of these newly acquired skills.
Military to Corporate: An Analogous Perspective
After stepping into the corporate world, it dawned upon me that organizations face similar challenges, especially with regards to the adoption of technology, its impact on how we perform work, and the evolving workforce. While the dynamics, scope, and scale are considerably different, enterprises – large or small, are uniformly driven by the need to change. At all levels in an organization, right from the line and staff positions to the C-suite executives, the need for upskilling, continued learning, and ability to build upon the technical know-how is ubiquitous and is on top-most priority. While larger organizations have the wherewithal to build structures to develop or acquire such technologies and workforce with necessary skill sets, most medium and small organizations have to grapple with balancing between adaption of technology, up-skilling of the workforce, and costs involved. Just as air warriors play a predominant role in the achievement of extraordinary results, similar results can be achieved in other organizations as well, by an engaged workforce, with the underlying drive, and which understands the need for ‘change’, and ‘learns’ to change.
Sorrow, anger and resentment look back, worry looks around, while faith, hope, and optimism look to the future.
– Dan Miller
Note: (a) ‘He’ may be interchangeably read as ‘she’, wherever applicable, and this will not change the essence of the content. (b) The words pilot and aircrew have been used for personnel who fly an aircraft, while ‘air warrior’ has been used for air force personnel in general that includes both combatants and non-combatants.
Disclaimer: The views in the article are based on the author’s personal experiences and may be in variance with the air force’s philosophy.
Inspiration and References:
Unlearn before U Learn, Kamekish, 2011
Drive, Daniel H Pink, 2009
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol S. Dweck, 2007
Evaluating Training Programs, Donald L. Kirkpatrick, 1993
The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge, 1990Blooms’ Taxonomy from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom%27s_taxonomy
