What can plane crash investigations teach us about leadership? Surprisingly—a lot! 😊

I’ve been using my downtime here in Antarctica (when the weather keeps us indoors) to catch up on reading and writing. I just finished a chapter in Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell that really struck a chord with me.

It dives into the underlying reasons behind plane crashes, and I believe that YOU—as someone in a leadership or management role—will immediately see why this is so important…

I’d love to share some key takeaways from this chapter, along with my own thoughts and a few practical tips you can actually use in your leadership. 

So, there we go...

For every plane crash, there’s usually a whole series of things that go wrong. What comes to mind?

You’re probably thinking of bad weather, engine failure, instrument malfunction, crew fatigue—stuff like that, right?

All valid. But what about LACK OF or POOR COMMUNICATION?

That’s not something most people immediately think of, yet it’s a crucial contributing factor!

One of the classic cases studied in flight training is an Avianca flight from Medellín, Colombia, to JFK Airport in New York. The plane was held up three times by air traffic control (ATC) and ended up crashing on Long Island.

That tragic day, severe weather caused mass flight delays, and the airspace over New York was incredibly congested. But the Avianca plane didn’t crash because of the weather—it crashed because it ran out of fuel!

Crash investigators found that the first officer, who was communicating with ATC, failed to clearly convey that this was a life-or-death emergency.

Listening to the recorded conversations, it became clear that:

    🚩 The ATC personnel were using a direct, commanding tone (as they should, but it could easily feel intimidating).

    🚩 The first officer responded in a soft, indirect, and almost overly polite manner given the circumstances, as if apologising for requesting to land.

The result?

ATC didn’t take the first officer's requests seriously. He didn’t challenge their decisions and wasn’t given landing priority.

The plane ran out of fuel and crashed—something that could likely have been prevented with better communication!

So, why am I telling you all this?

Because I see too many professionals overusing this type of 'mitigated speech' at work—and while the consequences may not be as catastrophic as a plane crash, they can still be pretty serious.

Mitigated speech is when we downplay, soften, or sugarcoat what we’re saying. We do this when we’re being polite, when we’re unsure, when we feel intimidated, or when we’re trying to avoid conflict.

And let’s be real, ladies 💃 — we’re the QUEENS of mitigated speech!

For example, if you're sitting in an office feeling cold and really want to close the window, but instead you say: "I think it’s a little chilly in here, don’t you think?"

That’s mitigated speech!

Now, ask yourself: How often do you do this at work?

Don’t worry if you recognise yourself—we all mitigate at times. In fact, mitigation can be appropriate in some cases. HOWEVER, if this is a consistent pattern in your communication, you may be heading into trouble (and so is your leadership).

Why do we overuse mitigated speech at work?

 Here are a few reasons I see over and over:

1. Lack of Communication Skills

• You may not even realise you’re doing it, especially if you’ve never had communication training. It’s simply part of your communication style, shaped by your culture and upbringing—some cultures are naturally more indirect than others (which can make cross-cultural communication a real challenge! 😅).
• You may lack the ability to communicate assertively.
• If English isn’t your first language, you might not have the right words to express yourself more directly.

2. Struggles with Authority

• You might find it difficult to challenge authority figures or dominant personalities. 
• You soften your approach to avoid rejection or conflict.
• You feel intimidated and worry about upsetting the power dynamics.
• This is especially true if you come from a high Power Distance Index (PDI) culture, according to Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory—one that emphasizes a strong respect for authority and adherence to a structured hierarchy.

3. Fear of Speaking Up

• In some workplaces, speaking up isn’t encouraged (sadly, this is still common in hierarchical, authoritarian work cultures).
• If you’ve faced criticism or dismissal in the past, you may hesitate to share your thoughts openly.

So, what now?

First comes awareness...

Start by noticing when you’re using mitigated speech and ask yourself: Is this necessary, or am I just afraid to be direct?

When it comes to dealing with authority, that’s a whole subject on its own—it often requires deeper personal work to uncover the underlying issue. For a leader like you, this kind of self-development is key to boosting your leadership skills.

But for now, let’s keep it practical:

The next time you need to assert yourself, advocate for your opinions, or challenge authority, try this simple communication strategy.

It’s the same method used in modern flight crew training to help prevent incidents like Avianca’s from happening again: 

✅ First step: "I’m concerned about [X]."
✅ Second step: "I’m very uncomfortable with [X]."
✅ Third step: "[Name], I believe the situation is unsafe [or X], and I strongly recommend [action]."

See how the intensity gradually builds? It makes your concerns hard to ignore while you stay cool and professional.

Your turn! 

Give these statements a try in real workplace situations—and let me know how it goes!

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.

Warm regards from the ❄️ frozen ❄️ continent! 

Alena 😊 ✨ 

Alena Huberova I Founder of SHELeads

Coach-Mentor-Guide for Women Executives I TEDx speaker 

✂️

P.S. Want to follow my Antarctica adventures 🇦🇶 between January and March 2025?
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