K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
Part 91 flight department leaders aren’t just aviation experts, they’re also business leaders. After all, they are running a business within a business. And a big part of managing an in-house aviation organization is being in alignment with where the company's going.
“It’s critical that you’re able to understand where the industry is, so you can answer that question the shareholders are inevitably going to ask,” said Sean Lee, global vice president for The Coca-Cola Company. “You don’t get that from an out-of-house solution. Being proactive versus reactive makes for a very strong business case.”
Sean is the newest member of the NBAA board, and he recently spoke to our members about the need for business aviation leaders to have a “seat at the table.” So I asked him about what he has gained from having a seat at the table at Coke.
The two biggest takeaways are alignment and flexibility.
Alignment
Sean told me, “I’m trying to always figure out: What is our value statement? What is the business case for having an internal flight department? Because when it comes down to justifying the cost, the dollar figure usually isn't enough. (At least for most companies).”
By being in the know, Sean said, he’s able to guide his aviation strategy and provide consistent value to the company. “It comes down to whether the department is aligned with the strategy of the company,” he noted. “It’s about understanding the overall direction and delivering value; being proactive and creating solutions. We need to ask ourselves, ‘Can we be responsive to the company’s needs? And, are we aligned with a long-term view of where the company is going?’”
Flexibility
An in-house aviation operation is infinitely more flexible than an out-of-house operation, Sean said. The biggest factor is that an aviation director or v-p will be in the room when decisions need to be made (such as during the height of the pandemic). “Your team will be there to understand what pivots need to occur.”
Continue reading: https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/blogs/ainsight-seat-table
“It’s critical that you’re able to understand where the industry is, so you can answer that question the shareholders are inevitably going to ask,” said Sean Lee, global vice president for The Coca-Cola Company. “You don’t get that from an out-of-house solution. Being proactive versus reactive makes for a very strong business case.”
Sean is the newest member of the NBAA board, and he recently spoke to our members about the need for business aviation leaders to have a “seat at the table.” So I asked him about what he has gained from having a seat at the table at Coke.
The two biggest takeaways are alignment and flexibility.
Alignment
Sean told me, “I’m trying to always figure out: What is our value statement? What is the business case for having an internal flight department? Because when it comes down to justifying the cost, the dollar figure usually isn't enough. (At least for most companies).”
By being in the know, Sean said, he’s able to guide his aviation strategy and provide consistent value to the company. “It comes down to whether the department is aligned with the strategy of the company,” he noted. “It’s about understanding the overall direction and delivering value; being proactive and creating solutions. We need to ask ourselves, ‘Can we be responsive to the company’s needs? And, are we aligned with a long-term view of where the company is going?’”
Flexibility
An in-house aviation operation is infinitely more flexible than an out-of-house operation, Sean said. The biggest factor is that an aviation director or v-p will be in the room when decisions need to be made (such as during the height of the pandemic). “Your team will be there to understand what pivots need to occur.”
Continue reading: https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/blogs/ainsight-seat-table
