fbpx

‘MIRACLE on the Hudson’ SULLY’S daily deposit LESSON

 In Body language, Entrepreneur, Environment, Learning from Luminaries, Luminary, Mindset, News, The Winning Voice

“For 40 years I had been making deposits in my ability to take-off, fly and land aircraft. On that fateful day I made a huge withdrawal from those deposits.  And if I hadn’t made those deposits over all those years, I wouldn’t have been able to make that withdrawal, and save those people’s lives.”

Many of you have seen the movie ‘Sully’.

The above words were an approximation of what was said by Captain Chelsey ‘Sully’ Sullenberger (who’s character was the star of the movie) in a NBC television interview with Katie Couric – about Sullenberber’s landing of a US Airways plane in the New York’s Hudson River on 15 January 2009, saving the lives of all the passengers and crew, which was dubbed ‘Miracle on the Hudson’.

The lesson for you and me in relation to the above quote and the mantra that I repeatedly share with my clients is

the power of IDP (Intentionally Daily Practice).

Let me explain.

At some time in the future work you’ll be in a highly challenging situation. You might be in an important meeting, with C level executives verbally assaulting you, or in an ‘A’ class prospective client meeting, or handling Q & A during a critical presentation where your mind has gone blank and hazy on a point you should be totally across.

Like Sullenberger’s 40 years of daily deposits, if you have made prior deposits of Intentional Daily Practice, in for example:

  • developing your thinking on your feet techniques.
  • practising presence and certainty through how you conduct your body, wield your voice and ‘own’ time.
  • in maintaining your dignity and self-possession when under pressure.

you’ll improve the odds that you’ll ‘save’ yourself in challenging situations.

But if you haven’t made those deposits, you might ‘drown’.


OWN the Conversation

In the below image, the person who projects the most CONFIDENCE, CERTAINTY and OPENNESS and who would attract people to her, is second from the left. This is due to the posture of letting her arms hang beside her.

Consider this statement. Anything that can be seen, will be seen, and will form an IMPRESSION and a potential for LOSS or GAIN.

As a safe IDP (Intentional Daily Practice) exercise, for the next seven days, use any WAITING time (eg. for a lift, for a coffee, in a queue) as a TRIGGER to stand with the confident, certain, OPEN posture (despite how awkward it might feel at first). Note any observations, or feelings you had after the seven days.

Extend daily practice of the posture, until it becomes reflexive, and it will convey plentiful, POSITIVE first, and lasting impressions of you.

Recommended Posts

Leave a Comment

Subscribe to Behind the Voice

Regular insights, guidance and commentary on how communication influences business and the world around us

Thank you for subscribing