Anyone who has ever flown on a plane somewhere has witnessed the well-memorized script of the pre-flight safety presentation. With the attention of about 5% of the plane, they go over how to buckle and tighten your seatbelt, where the emergency exits are, how your seat cushion floats, etc. There was always one part of the presentation that has stayed in my mind, through childhood and even today. The part when they say “in the event that the cabin loses air pressure, masks will drop down from above your seat. First, pull the mask towards your face, and put the strap over your head, and tighten by pulling on the loose ends. Even if the bag does not inflate, oxygen is flowing. Be sure to secure your own mask before helping others”. There! That last part, did you catch that, leaders? When I was younger and first learning about leadership, I always thought putting your mask on first was a little selfish. Wouldn’t you want to make sure your loved ones got their mask on safe? Wasn’t that the heroic and honorable thing to do? Why was that a necessary thing to mention? 

Recently when I was flying to visit family (shortly after going through MIBE), it dawned on me: people want to be heroes, step up to the plate, and make sure those are safe around them even, if it means sacrificing themselves. It may be the honorable and heroic thing to do, but what use are you if you pass out and have multiple people counting on you, especially in a crazy situation? It may work if you only have one person who you need to help, but what about two, three, or the whole plane for that matter? You cannot assist others by choosing to only help one person in the process of completely depriving yourself of oxygen, that is, taking the time needed for yourself to be the best version of yourself. 

 This has given me another way to look at leadership. Yes, we must wake up to serve people, put others’ needs above our own, put our best foot forward when making big decisions, and create a culture of change so ideas can come from anywhere within the company. For that to be on one person leading the charge, can be a big load to bear. One who has given their all cannot show up for their team the way they want to, because they did not secure their mask. The best possible time to secure your own mask is in the morning. I go for a walk with the dog with a cup of coffee or head to the gym, but there are plenty of other ways to make it your own. A couple of examples would be getting your heart rate up with exercise, doing a chore, meditating, diving into your religion, doing a puzzle, making your bed, or really anything that is productive in nature. It may feel like something you do not want to do at the moment, but this is the “oxygen” needed to get a day started properly. Things to avoid would be scrolling on your phone, lying in bed, or watching TV. Mundane activities like this might make you feel good at the moment, but you are depriving yourself of the “oxygen” needed to lead a group of people when challenges arise or your cabin “loses pressure”. 

So next time your cabin loses pressure, remember two things: make sure to secure your mask before helping others, and oxygen is flowing even if the bag does not inflate. Enjoy your flight!