How Many Parachutes Can You Pack with Excellence?

As a master parachutist in the Army, my responsibilities involved the preparation and execution of airborne operations. This encompassed inspecting equipment, conducting safety briefings, and managing the exit of jumpers from aircraft while in flight. I learned to have a great appreciation for a well-packed parachute. If a parachute doesn't open properly after jumping from a plane, the situation quickly becomes very serious.?

I remember a day when we visited the Rigger shed, where parachutes were packed. The people doing this vital task were known as Riggers, and they wore red hats, making them easy to recognize.

The location had two large buildings. In one, tables were filled with parachutes being meticulously packed, and the other contained a tall tower for parachute inspection and drying if they were wet.?

Packing a parachute isn't just a task; it's a life-and-death responsibility with no margin for error. The Riggers understood that each parachute they prepared could mean the difference between life and death for a soldier. Thousands of jumps were made every month in the 82nd Airborne Division where I served, and each one depended on a perfectly packed parachute. Even though the work could be repetitive, the Riggers never lost focus and paid attention to every detail.

What stood out to me was their ability to maintain such intense concentration, even when the work could seem monotonous. They had daily quotas determined by their skill level, and once they met them, their workday was over. I greatly admired their dedication and precision, and since I depended on their work, I was particularly thankful for their high-performance standards.

The practice of packing a set number of 'life-saving parachutes' has shaped my daily routines for years. When I'm writing a book, I might aim to write 'five parachutes,' or five pages a day, maintaining focus until I meet that target. This method helps me avoid the procrastination that can occur when a task doesn't seem urgent, enabling me to achieve consistent, high-quality progress over time.

If you are in search of a renewed perspective on work or teamwork, consider employing this "packing parachutes" metaphor. Engage with your team members and ask them how many 'parachutes' they can pack each day with excellence, as though lives depended on it. The phrase “with excellence” is critical. You aren’t asking how many they can do, you’re inquiring as to how many they can do with excellence. This question frames the idea that every task, no matter how mundane, requires excellence and precision. It's not just a unique method for approaching work; it's a powerful way to instill commitment and model accountability, underlining the gravity of even the most ordinary tasks.

Questions to Consider

1. How can "packing parachutes" be applied to your team's specific responsibilities or tasks?
2. What measures do you currently have to ensure that routine tasks are performed with precision and focus, even if they seem monotonous?
3. How do you recognize and reward team members who consistently commit to excellence, as exemplified by the Riggers?

Use the Parachute-Packing Idea to Develop Your People

Procrastinating on developing your team? Think a single workshop every few years will do the trick? Think again!

With the goal of growing leaders at scale with content and a system that actually works, Leddin Group delivers relevant, 10-minute daily leadership lessons straight to each team member's mobile device. These lessons build on themselves, teaching critical leadership content over time.

Develop innate leadership abilities day by day, the same way meticulous parachute packing ensures success.

Jump in today! Learn more at https://leddingroup.com/leader/

Make it a great day!

Patrick