By Kathryn B. Creedy
Aviation and aerospace have dozens of conferences but those that represent women and minorities are not graced with the attendance of a lot of airline CEOs. But all of them are a priority for GoJet CEO Rick Leach, who not only supports the organization, shows up but runs an evening Karaoke session for which he has become famous. And, I ask you, in what other venue do you get career advice from the CEO?
Leach often has a place on the podium to explain why it was so important to start showing up – he needed to raise the visibility of his three airlines to compete for pilots — and why he keeps at it – to keep that visibility for GoJet in the forefront of those who attend these conferences.
Dynamically Powerful Organizations
Leach explained aviation is a relationship business. “But don’t just take,” he said. “You also have to give to create a good relationship. As for organizations like LPA. Show up, get involved and say you have something to offer. I always kept raising my hand to have a voice and to have an impact.”
Making Yourself Stand Out
An important lesson for both airline and candidate is to set yourself apart.
“In the beginning we were not getting what we needed by just sending recruiters,” he reported. “Now, it sets us apart to show up at LPA and OBAP, who have the most dynamically powerful organizations. We want to be an ally. We’ve tripled the size of the company. Perhaps others didn’t have the same need I did in coming to support my team who are great at getting talent. Allyship is so important to us because it brings such strong, like-minded people to our organization. The organizations do all the work so we can be better supporters.”
Leach suggested the other regional CEOs don’t show up because perhaps they didn’t have the same need or felt they were covered by the recruiting team. But as he talked to a packed room at the fourth annual Latino Professionals of Aerospace conference, he said he was there to illustrate the company’s culture. The openness and accessibility of senior management to everyone in the company.
But, he added, it is for the organizations to give CEOs a reason to attend. “You must create an environment so that it makes sense to be here and it may be finding someone to just ask them. They want to know they will have an impact and add value to the proceedings.”
“So, you’ll help us develop a CEO panel for next year’s conference,” LPA President Claudia Zapata-Cardone jumped in.
Always Say Yes
Leach, once a singing seminarian, has a career checkered with accepting assignments he knew nothing about but knew he could figure out. That turned out to be his road to success – leaning in, asking if there were more he could take on to learn theropes.
“You want to put yourself out there,” he told attendees. “I didn’t want to be afraid of trying something. If I hit a barrier, I just found a way around it. You don’t know what you can or can’t accomplish. I said yes to a lot of things and had the blind trust and confidence of the team.”
Then he paused and said, “No one is as smart as all of us.”
Being Bold
He advised listeners not to hesitate in applying for something even if you don’t get it, “it will make you a lot smarter than if you hadn’t tried. You tell the company you want to do more by reaching higher than you actually think you can go,” he said. “In fact, I don’t want someone with all the answers. I want them to have something we can develop in them to make them more successful. How can you improve to get the next job? Leaders love when you tell them you want to do more. You must take the opportunity to let yourself and what you want known. Never shy away from a meeting with the CEO because leaders are looking to develop that person who changes the company and makes it better.”
One of his greatest lessons came from the owner of Trans States, who also owned GoJet. CEO Hulas Kanodia had no experience in aviation. “He didn’t know the right or the wrong way to do something, so he developed a new way,” he said. “Leadership is where you learn together to make those ideas a reality. Leadership is to find a way to get the best out of people. Those who molded who I am are those who worked together as a team to accomplish a lot together.”
Great Time to Join the Industry
Zapata-Cardone, who led the conversation turned to culture and Leach echoed former United CEO Oscar Munoz saying it is important to make sure the company fits you.
“The landscape is fertile with opportunities to find the path with LPA and Women in Aviation International,” he said predicting hiring over the next year will be robust. “That’s the value of an organization like this which offers mentorship, engagement and more than $1 million in scholarships a year. It is organizations like this that keep our industry healthy.”
Zapata-Cardone asked him to explain why he thinks aviation is a way of life.
“The more you learn the more you appreciate everything it takes to make it work and the more you understand how it takes us all to do it,” he said. “I’ve been at this for 45 years and I feel as if I still have something to contribute. When you realize you are a part of something that is bigger than you are it becomes a lifestyle. You get to meet amazing people who become friends and you are part of a community that supports you and you are working as a team to get the job done.”
Leach also advised listeners about hiring slowdowns. “You need to find ways to keep yourself relevant to the recruiters,” he said. “That’s the importance of our continuous engagement with all these organizations. When we show up, people notice. When things slow down, we ask ‘where are the ones looking for a home’. The ones who want to be part of a culture, so it becomes an emotional engagement when you get to know people at conferences like this. We wouldn’t get that opportunity without these conferences.”
All Hours Aren’t Created Equal
For candidates, he said it is important to keep up with recruiters. “We know how you look on paper, but we don’t know who you are, so you have to tell us what is going on. How are you challenging yourself to get the best hours you can, not just drilling holes in the sky but actually learning. All hours aren’t created equal.”
That echoes consultants who tell pilots to use these times to add additional skills, like taking a CRM course or an upset recovery training course.
Leach agreed, saying learning new skills is a perfect touchpoint for engagement with recruiters. He also suggested that candidates be themselves and when you make a misstep, turn it into a positive about what went wrong, how you handled it and what you learned from it.
“Find a carrier where you want to build your career. That could be the most important relationship you will have in your entire career,” he said. “Get to know the recruiters keep them updated, keep the engagement going.
“Get a job doing something else at the airline,” he suggested. “That will make you a better aviator. You get to know the operations and the people who make the decisions. We love to see people go up and up and up and consider them first before someone off the street.”
Check out the Fireside Chat Zapata-Cardone had with former United CEO Oscar Munoz
