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Are you one of “those” pilots? One of those pilots that complains all the time and never has anything good to say about the aviation career, their airplane, and their airline.

The other day I was reminded about the movie Jerry Maguire, specifically Cuba Gooding Jr.’s character “Rod Tidwell.”

We were talking about how great a movie it was and all the great quotes.

Ray: D’you know that the human head weighs 8 pounds?

Or this one…

Jerry Maguire: Jump in my nightmare, the water’s warm!

And of course the most famous of all…

Rod Tidwell: Show me the money!

Then this got me thinking. “Show me the money.” This started me thinking about the character and his demands.

Rod Tidwell wanted the money but really, what was he doing to earn it?

All he did was bitch and moan about his team, his teammates, his coaches and his personal problems. Really he was a whiney baby.

And everyone else around him though was turned off by his egotistical attitude and the “blame game” that he played. Basically, he never took responsibility for himself or his actions. He blamed his problems on everyone else.

That is so easy to do, isn’t it?

So, I’ll ask again, “Are You One of “Those” Pilots?”

If you aren’t, you’ve probably run across pilots like this, haven’t you? They are always saying, “It’s not my fault. It’s the company’s fault. It’s the check airman’s fault.” Blah, blah, blah.

And before you think I’m being all righteous, I HAVE been one of “those” pilots. Why? Because it is so easy. It’s easy to transfer the blame to someone else.

Let me ask you, as soon as your airplane passes 10,000 feet and you are out of sterile cockpit (because I know you don’t talk about anything but flying stuff before that), does the gripe session start? Do you complain about your hours? The pay? The hotel? The rest?

I have.

Do you complain about your crew? The gate agents? Maintenance control? Your airplane?

Yep, I’m guilty again.

Sure you do. We all do. Occasionally it’s a good thing too. We can’t expect to keep it all inside all the time. You have to vent.

What I’m talking about though is if you are one of those pilots that complains ALL THE TIME?

How does this make you feel?

I know when I complain a lot, I don’t feel good about it. It never made me happier and it certainly NEVER got me what I wanted (more opportunities to advance, more money, etc.).

It all boils down to this:

If you want to be happier at work and in the airplane, you have to have respect for your airline, your chief pilot, your co-workers (captains, first officers, flight attendants, mechanics, rampers, etc.), and your job.

Never let on that you do NOT like what you are doing or that performing certain tasks are beneath you.

Common sense dictates that you should always be a team player.

Listen to what you say on the flight deck and in the crew room. Here are a few things that you should really try to avoid saying and seek a more positive conversation:

1. “That’s not my job.” – In the regional airlines, we are required to do a lot of work that the major airlines don’t have to do. We have to clean the cabin, take out trash, fold seat belts, just to name a few. It’s not fun but it’s part of the job. If you are a team player, all these jobs that aren’t in your “job description” are really the things that will make your airline stand out, so make it your job.
2. “It’s not my fault.” – And it probably isn’t! But, part of being a professional pilot is to not make excuses. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride and just make it right regardless of whose “fault” it is. If you did, in fact, screw up… admit it, apologize, and then come up with a solution as quickly as you can and move on.
3. “It’s not my problem.” – If a crisis is brewing and things are going bad, pitch in and help. If you don’t have anything constructive to say, silence is golden at a time like this. Don’t add to the problem but find some way to help.
4. “I can only do one thing at a time.” – Yes, sometimes we all get overwhelmed at work — so learn to multi-task and prioritize. Not “handling the pressure” shows your crew, especially the customers, that you can’t handle your job.
5. “I hate this job.” – It is amazing the subconscious effect saying the word “hate” has on you. Repeated bombardment of this word in your head will have a serious impact on your mood and performance. Instead of saying this phrase, try to turn it around and turn it into a positive.

Now none of these are easy just to turn around into positives. Especially if you’ve been saying them often and to everyone that will listen but you can do it. If you listen to what you are saying and then try to turn it around, I think you find that you have a better perspective on your job and you will definitely have a positive impact on the pilots and crew you are flying with.

Keep a smile on your face when you are in front of the public and let them see how professional you are. In Rod Tidwell’s case, once he changed how he perceived what was around him and focused on the positive, everything came to him…money, fame, and respect. And the same will happen for you.

To Your Flying Success,

Jeffrey