Conversations in Management
Eddie
Rickenbacker was certainly determined and he never
gave up. He’s best known as America’s
first “Ace of Aces.” In World
War I, he commanded the famed Hat in the Ring squadron
and was credited with 26 aerial victories. He had arrived in
France as a driver for General Pershing but was determined
to fly. On his way to becoming an air legend, he first
had to overcome his lack of education (he dropped out of the 7th
grade to provide for his mother and siblings), the age limit for
pilots (he was two years too old) and the Army’s general
reluctance to teach him to fly. Prior to the war, Rickenbacker
satisfied his passion for speed and high technology in the
automobile industry. After completing a correspondence course in
mechanical engineering, he worked for a variety of companies
before becoming a professional racer. He competed in the first
Indianapolis 500 (in 1927 he bought the speedway) and spent five
years on the race circuit. Following the war, he returned to the
auto industry; first as a manufacturer of Rickenbacker’s
and then as an executive for Eastern Airlines.
Rickenbacker had an extraordinary and challenging life, yet it
was an event in World War II that truly tested his
determination and tenacity. In 1942, Secretary of War
Henry Stimson asked Rickenbacker to inspect Pacific Theater air
bases and to deliver a Top Secret message to General Douglas
MacArthur. Rickenbacker agreed and on the evening of October 20,
took off from Hawaii with seven others in a B-17 destined for
Port Moresby. Thirteen hours later, and hopelessly lost, the
plane crashed into 12-foot seas. All eight men survived the
initial crash and scrambled into three small rafts. With no
water and only four oranges for food, they began what turned out
to be a grueling 24-day odyssey in enemy waters. Against all
odds, they were finally rescued and after just a few days to
recover, Rickenbacker—with his usual tenacity—continued
on his way to General MacArthur.
Eddie
Rickenbacker was a genuine hero. He had, however, some
personality traits that undermined both his reputation and
effectiveness. He was authoritarian to the point of stridency,
uncompromising and unnecessarily harsh in his dealings with
others—particularly when under pressure. These traits
contributed to the failure of the Rickenbacker Motor Company,
weakened Eastern Airlines and even got him into hot water with
FDR. Then, what might have been his finest hour was sullied by
his rough treatment of his fellow survivors while lost at sea.
His brutal verbal attacks on the men injured during the crash
horrified the other crew members and his unwillingness to listen
to differing points of view almost cost them their lives. When
criticized for these things, Rickenbacker’s response was that he
had to be tough to bring about a good result. But he was
wrong and so are those leaders today who believe that during
difficult times employees have to be browbeaten, insulted,
ridiculed and generally abused in order to get them to produce.
Though common enough, this approach just doesn’t work. While it
might create the appearance of effectiveness, the ill treatment
of others ultimately breeds contempt, feeds animosity and
fosters secrecy. The real test of leadership is to treat people
well when things are toughest. That’s when you need your
team to be at their best—not fearful and harboring a grudge.
Determination and tenacity will take you a long way,
but the final measure of success is how well you lead,
inspire and care for those around you. When you find
yourself most stressed out, try demonstrating good
will and showing your folks respect. Given the
chance, they’ll respond like real Aces.
—Ebert
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