Managing at the Leading Edge: Navigating and Piloting Business Strategy at Critical Moments

Chapter 8

Important Moments in Critical Reflection

What can we gain by sailing to the moon if weare not able to cross the abyss that separates usfrom ourselves? This is the most important ofall voyages of discovery, and without it, all therest are not only useless, but disastrous.

—THOMAS MERTON

The case of Tower Air Flight 41 introduces us to our next critical moment: critical reflection. On a wintry December 20, 1995, Flight 41 pushed back from its gate at JFK en route to Miami. The experienced crew deiced the Boeing 747-100 and headed to the flight line with 468 passengers. When the crew reached the flight line, the flight was 36 minutes late and snow had begun blowing across the runway.

With approval from air traffic control, the captain ...