AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 20

LICENSE TO LEARN

Managing our agreements

BY ROD MACHADO

Does this serve your best interest?
MANY YEARS AGO, I saw half a house moving down
the street on a flatbed truck. My first thought was that
divorce is a terrible thing. Then I wondered what the
kids looked like.
The fact is that some people get married and file
for divorce shortly after. No doubt more than a few
agree to marriage knowing that they are not compatible with their future spouse. Assuming a shotgun isn't
involved, why do we make agreements with others
despite knowing it's not in our best interest to do so?
The answer to this question will help all of us who
fly airplanes better understand why we occasionally
behave unwisely under the influence of our peer group.

Our fear of group rejection or abandonment can be
lethal in the cockpit of an airplane.

ROD MACHADO

is a CFII who has
been instructing
for more than 40
years.

20 | AOPA PILOT April 2014

In 1988, Dr. Jerry Harvey of The George
Washington University wrote a book titled The Abilene
Paradox. It centers on a family gathering in Coleman,
Texas, where four individuals are playing dominoes.
Things are going well until Harvey's father-in-law suggests they all take a bus ride to Abilene, 53 miles north.
The others agree and hop on the bus. After consuming
a barely edible meal in Abilene, they hop back on the
bus for a long, hot, dusty ride back home. Upon their
return, the father-in-law (disingenuously) says, "It was
a great trip, wasn't it?"
At that point, everyone confesses that they would
have preferred to stay home but went along just to make
the others happy. The father-in-law says that he only
suggested the trip because the others seemed bored.
We're often reluctant to disagree with members of
our group when we feel it threatens our inclusion or
social standing in that group (a group is defined as a
minimum of two people). Despite our individual nature,
we depend on group association for good mental health.
Psychology teaches us that we'll occasionally enter into
an improper agreement with others to prevent being
shamed, rejected, or abandoned by our group.
Suppose you're holding short of the runway for
takeoff when the controller (a member of your aviation group) says, "Two-One-Three-Two-Bravo, you're
cleared for an immediate takeoff, traffic on short final."
If you're not mentally prepared for an immediate departure, then don't agree to take off. Reject the clearance.

A pilot might reluctantly agree to quickly throttle up
despite knowing he's unprepared for takeoff. He does
so out of fear that his aviation peer group-that means
everyone listening on tower frequency-might think his
lobes are defective or he is a quart low of the "right stuffing." The problem is that as Rocket Pants races through
a departure, he stands a chance of having his hair parted
by another airplane's Goodyear tire. Feeling shame in
front of our group is a powerful motivator.
Disagreeing with the group also means there's a
chance that they might reject or abandon you, resulting in anxiety and depression-a real buzzkill. Let's say
you're employed as a human cannonball. The new company policy now requires all human cannonballs to be
shot into discount nets. You refuse to get fired this way
and end up getting fired another way.
Acting sensibly by not agreeing to this policy can
have real consequences. Unless a man of your caliber is
willing to accept those consequences, then you must be
willing to accept the consequences of making an unwise
agreement. As Dr. Harvey might say, it's often easier to
get on the bus to Abilene (or get into that cannon) than
to do what's right in the long term.
Our fear of group rejection or abandonment can
be lethal in the cockpit of an airplane. Many years ago,
three men from a local firefighting company arrived at
a nearby airport for a trip to the local ski resort in their
friend's Bonanza F33. This outing had been planned for
several months. Unfortunately, extensive fog prevented
a visual departure. Despite knowing better, the noninstrument-rated pilot loaded up his friends, departed,
and promptly drove his airplane into the side of a nearby
mountain. Most likely, the pilot's "peak" experience
resulted from his unwillingness to cancel the trip and
risk being shamed, rejected, or abandoned by his friends
(his social group).
Properly managing the agreements we make begins
by recognizing how our group association influences
our decision-making ability. Behaving rationally means
asking ourselves if the agreements we're about to make
with others serve our best interest. It also means recognizing that there can be significant consequences to
acting sensibly by refusing to get on that bus. Wisdom
teaches us that while life might be unfair, it's not as if
death gives us some sort of advantage.
AOPA
WEB

www.rodmachado.com


http://www.rodmachado.com

AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014

AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014
Contents
President’s Position
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Endeavor Awards
Debonair Sweepstakes
Pilot Products
Events
People
First Look
Test Pilot
Industry News
Airport Stories
AOPA Action
GAMA report
Regional Events
Fly-Outs
Time Traveler
Craftsmanship: Where Wacos Take Wing
Luxury-Level LSA
Culture of the Smallest Corps
Cost Comparison
Proficiency
Dogfight
Wx Watch
Avionics
Never Again
AOPA Action
State & Local Action
AOPA Foundation
Member Services
Insurance Services
Fly by Wire
Tips from PIC
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 12
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Endeavor Awards
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Debonair Sweepstakes
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Pilot Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Events
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - People
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 32
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - First Look
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Test Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Industry News
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Airport Stories
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - D1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - D2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - GAMA report
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Regional Events
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - R-1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - R-2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - R-3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - R-4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - R-5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Time Traveler
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Craftsmanship: Where Wacos Take Wing
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Luxury-Level LSA
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Culture of the Smallest Corps
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Cost Comparison
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Proficiency
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Dogfight
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Wx Watch
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Avionics
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - State & Local Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - AOPA Foundation
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Member Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Insurance Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Tips from PIC
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2014 - Cover4
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