Leaders Who Elevate Their Influence

In 2006, I attended my first Bombardier Safety Standdown, dipping a toe for the first time into a world of safety that extended far beyond “passing the audit.” I so appreciated the experience that I wrote a multi-page thank you note to the organizers. It is, therefore, entirely suitable that I publish the first blog on my website just after the conclusion of this year’s Safety Standdown.

As always, our trip to Wichita was noteworthy for the depth and breadth of the expertise before us. Regardless of which presentations that one attended or streamed via the webcast, there was great value. The lessons were both timely and timeless, focusing on how we influence the people around us and how they influence us.

This Standdown also marked the end of my term as a member of the Standdown Advisory Council, a sad but inevitable moment. In this group, I found myself surrounded by a most amazing collection of leaders who worked behind the scenes to bring high-value safety content to the fore every year. Their influence, speaking of this year’s theme, will live well beyond their terms of office and the boundaries of the event itself. I was lucky to experience their wisdom, grace, and dedication first-hand.

Now, I must continue trying to live up to their examples, as if the content of the event itself were not challenging enough.

Their examples were a measure of their strength as leaders. Leadership classes and books always say that one should lead by example, as if it were somehow a choice. Everyone leads by example, as others are always observing and learning from their thoughts and actions. The great leaders distinguish themselves by the quality of their examples. Do they lead with service? Integrity? Empathy? Knowledge? Vision? Humility? Even though there are dozens of traits that we could name here, there is no single, uniform list. We have all seen different types of leaders succeed, and the best, like the members of the Advisory Council with whom I served, have had a single trait above all others. They remained true to themselves, leading in accordance with their own values and ethos, a measure of authenticity that I would commend to anyone who might choose to lead.

Learn more about Safety Standdown, and not just 2024. The videos from this year’s event should be up soon!

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