From Good To Nice: Constructing A Crew That Wins

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by Common (Ret.) Elyezer Shkedy, writer of “ Who the F*ck is Michael?!: An Israeli Air Drive Chief’s Uncompromising Code for Reaching Greatness ”

It's customary to assume that the excellence of a bunch is dependent upon the standard of its individuals and the sources at its disposal.

After all, having glorious individuals and enough sources is an efficient factor.

These are crucial situations, however they aren't sufficient.

There are three further conditions which are pivotal for group excellence.

The primary situation is that the group actually features as a bunch.

We all know organizations which have nice individuals and nice sources, however their persons are consistently busy justifying and explaining, in phrases or actions:

Why their job or career is crucial, Why the others are a lot much less essential, Why when one thing succeeds it is just due to them, And why when one thing doesn’t pan out, everybody else is guilty…

Such a corporation, regardless of the skilled high quality of its personnel and regardless of its many sources, won't obtain collective excellence.

Alternatively, a corporation that features as a bunch, whose individuals perceive the nice significance of collaborating and supporting one another, who share a typical aim, who will not be busy amplifying why every is extra vital or extra essential than the opposite, who've respect and true appreciation for the work of every member of the group — such a corporation is on the correct path. The paramount process of the group chief, of their messages and actions, is to make the group’s entire higher than the sum of its elements.

The second situation is that the group chief should give his or her individuals confidence, assist, and inspiration to allow them to specific and understand their abilities and skills, encouraging them to provoke, act, take flight, and be fearless.

The chief’s messages and statements are of immense significance. “The successes are yours, the failure is mine,” is a dictum that's all the time essential for me to convey and to say to my individuals.

It’s wonderful to see what it does to individuals — to their dedication, their vitality, their willingness to cost ahead, and their sense of pleasure.

Your biggest accomplishment as a frontrunner is that your individuals really feel and know that the achievement is as a result of work of every considered one of them. Success is theirs.

The third situation is that the group chief believes in his or her individuals and their joint potential to achieve the sky — and delivers this message in a wide range of methods. If that doesn’t occur, they simply gained’t get there.

If the group chief believes in his or her individuals, shares a dream with them, and makes them imagine within the thought, in themselves and the group, they'll cost ahead. There isn't any assure they’ll make it to the vacation spot, however they're already on their approach.

•••

In early 1992, after we have been within the midst of building the HaEmek Squadron as an F-16 squadron, the Skewer Competitors was held. On the time, it was thought of probably the most vital competitors among the many IAF’s fighter squadrons. Once I obtained the message detailing the launch of the competitors, I used to be shocked to find that our squadron had not been invited to take part.

I instantly referred to as the pinnacle of the coaching division at Air Drive Headquarters, who was accountable for the difficulty, and requested him why we weren’t taking part.

“As a result of you aren't an operational squadron,” he answered. “You’re a piece in progress. You’ve solely obtained eight planes, not even one to spare. I don’t know in the event you even have munitions. So how would you take part? It doesn’t make sense to me. You’ll simply be embarrassed.”

I stated, “I request that we be allowed to take part. We'll compete in opposition to everybody, below precisely the identical situations, though we have now solely eight planes and none to spare, and though we aren't but an operational squadron. We'll cope.”

He sounded skeptical however in some way agreed…

I referred to as the squadron’s technical officer, Yitzhak Nahum, knowledgeable and a real chief.

I instructed him, “Nahum, I’ve determined we'll compete, regardless of the chances. I’m asking you to do all the things, completely all the things, to ensure each aircraft we have now is useful. That they’ll take off, launch the munitions, that all the things will work a hundred percent, and that each one our bombs will blow up.”

Nahum checked out me with a decided glint in his eye and stated, “We’ll do what it takes.”

We ready for the competitors — each aircrew and technical personnel — like we have been coaching for the Olympics. Years later, Nahum instructed me what our individuals within the technical part did to arrange: how they checked every bomb, how they aligned all of the fins of the bombs with a stage, how they labored on and ready every jet as if it have been crucial aircraft on the earth, and so on…

I keep in mind how we transported our planes from the HAS (hardened plane shelter) to the takeoff place with our technical crew driving in automobiles alongside us. I actually keep in mind the look of their eyes, as if watching their infants, guaranteeing nothing dangerous would occur.

All of the planes took off; all of the air missions have been carried out nicely; all of the bombs have been launched, hit the targets, and exploded.

We beat the opposite IAF squadrons by an enormous margin. The distinction between us and second place was the identical as between second place and final place.

This victory was due to all of the members of the squadron, on the bottom and within the air, and because of the character, dedication, collaboration, and deep and true partnership amongst them.

“I’m relying on you.

“I imagine in you.

“I’m satisfied of your potential.

“And I’m pleased with you, as ordinary…”

***

*excerpted from “ Who the F*ck is Michael?!: An Israeli Air Drive Chief’s Uncompromising Code for Reaching Greatness ” (Viva Editions, April 8, 2025)

Common (Ret.) Elyezer Shkedy was the fifteenth commander of the Israeli Air Drive. Throughout his service, Shkedy commanded quite a few strategic operations, together with the now-famous Operation Orchard airstrike on the Syrian nuclear reactor. After retiring from energetic obligation, Shkedy turned the CEO of the Israeli flag service airline El Al — the most important airline within the nation. Immediately, he volunteers as chairman and chief of over fifteen academic and social non-governmental organizations, and is the president of I Belong Israel, the place he speaks in regards to the significance of tolerance, management, and private values. His new ebook is “ Who the F*ck is Michael?!: An Israeli Air Drive Chief’s Uncompromising Code for Reaching Greatness ”.