7 Keys to Success in Business Aviation

Author By Jim Lara

The business aviation industry is a demanding, fast-paced and unforgiving business. Typically, you’re dealing with very valuable equipment, highly-skilled personnel and a cadre of customers with extremely high expectations.

As the business aviation organizational leader, what are the most important aspects deserving of your focus? What components of your leadership strategy and operational focus will yield constant and consistent success?

In our experience at Gray Stone Advisors, there are seven main focal areas.

Seven Essential Keys to Success

1. Alignment

It all starts here. Is your organization in sync and integrated with the host company? Do you have a clearly defined vision, mission and value statements?

 

2. Leadership Development

Are the “leadership competencies” for your organization well defined and known to all? How’s your “bench strength“? Do you have actionable Individual Development Plans in place?

 

3. Financial Management Tools

It’s difficult to know where you stand if you can’t keep score. You and your team need financial reporting tools and information (not data) that show where you’re heading, not only where you’ve been.

 

4. Relevant Metrics

Our “Level 4 Metrics” will help you showcase your group’s value creation for the host enterprise.  Do you have Performance Dashboards established and clearly posted that drive continuous improvement at all organizational levels?

 

5. Process Management

You may have started as a functionally-based organization, but you must transition to being process-driven. This is the key to scalability and sustainability.

 

6. Fleet Planning

Your aircraft needs for tomorrow must be anticipated and the planning needs to start today. Doing so will lower your costs, improve service levels and strengthen alignment with your host enterprise.

 

7. Benchmarking

Know what your peers are doing, thinking and planning. Becoming insular is lethal. Are you continually scanning the horizon for great ideas and best operating practices?

 

Gray Stone has worked with numerous organizations on all or several of these Seven Keys to Success, which are incredibly powerful and effective.

In many cases, we’ve seen the application of these Seven Keys earn the Flight Department the distinction of becoming the “Go-to Group” for operational results and continuous improvement throughout the entire Host organization.

And, if done right, the results are always sustained.

View our video below on the 7 Keys to Success in Business Aviation

 

Interested in continuing the conversation? Please contact us for more information.