MARVIN’S PILOT GOT IT RIGHT!

One of the most unifying and powerful accomplishments of self-led teams is realizing that no job and no person is viewed as greater than another. The equation itself is simple: no greater than or less than, only equal to. So every job is just as important as the next. All the jobs that need to be done in a household are done to help the members of that household have a better day. It doesn’t matter if it is wiping the table or taking out the trash or helping with medications. Self-led teams do not get hung up on titles, you simply get in where you fit in that day.

A resident at The Piper Assisted Living in Kansas City recently told a story about how this same idea worked for him and his crew during his military service. Marvin walked in to the dining room sporting an extra bright smile on his face one day recently. When asked what was going on with him that day, he said he’d just had a phone conversation with an old friend — his pilot from the plane he crewed in World War II.

Marvin teared up as he talked about his dear friend and his amazing crew, and the leadership style his pilot employed to make them the best crew in the sky. Marvin explained how they were not like the other crews — his pilot let every member of the crew know they were all in this together, that no man was better than the next, and that they all had vitally important jobs to do to complete their missions. He shared proudly that they were the lead plane because of this. They were all equals and they respected each other. And to this day there remains a bond between Marvin and his pilot, the last two remaining members of that team. Throughout all these years they have stayed in touch to keep that team spirit alive.