Allow for Improvement

[This article initially appeared in the 2022 Spring Issue of Two More Chains.]

“No—you cannot use an electronic signature for Crew Time Reports.”

This was THE answer for years and years. Sometime in 2020 that answer changed.

Was it some awesome new technology or major policy shift that brought about this gamechanger?

No—it was just our perspective. A global pandemic tends to adjust perspective.

As soon as enough of us were willing to truly do some inquiry about what is possible, prudent, and necessary, an important adaptation was achieved.

The enemy of inquiry is certainty. If we are certain there is only one way to do something, it becomes true by consensus. The CTR example is easy to view as a representation of bureaucratic rigidity. But chances are that all of us individually have multiple strongly held beliefs worth reevaluating. (A common example might be views regarding experience/qualifications/task books.)

A deep commitment to learning asks us all to get comfortable letting go of a rigid or fixed mindset and coming into situations with true inquisitiveness.

Take inventory of some “certainties” you have around learning and fire (task books?). What really is possible, prudent, and necessary?