Flying on a clear day, a pilot can see everything out of the cockpit: the visual cues match the instrument readings so there is no ambiguity about what the plane is doing. But piloting at night is completely different: you are flying blind so you are entirely dependent on the instrument readings. In fact, you should rely exclusively on the instruments because your internal instincts will lead you astray. Without visual cues, our brains try to makes sense of position and direction by relying on a sense of balance created by mechanisms in our inner ears. But our inner ears can be easily fooled: in the darkness, a plane can feel as though it’s ascending or descending when it’s doing the opposite.
Stop Trusting Your Instincts
Flying on a clear day, a pilot can see everything out of the cockpit: the visual cues match the instrument readings so there is no ambiguity about what the plane is doing. But piloting at night is completely different: you are flying blind so you are entirely dependent on the instrument readings. In fact, you […]
June 30, 2011
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Decision Making Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Decision Making. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Practical ways to improve your decision-making process.