The document shares lessons and metaphors learned from air travel experiences. It begins by stating the importance of putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others, then discusses reacting to crying babies on flights and knowing the location of emergency exits. Business metaphors that follow include focusing on customer experience over technology, that the purpose of travel is to enable doing other things, and that every interaction is an opportunity for branding.

1. Put On Your Own Oxygen MaskPut On Your Own Oxygen Mask
Before Helping Those Around YouBefore Helping Those Around You
…and other lessons
I’ve learned on airplanes

2. Metaphors for
Life
(and business)

3. Put on your own
oxygen mask
before helping
those around you.

4. Yes, everyone is looking at you.

5. There Are a Lot of
Ways to React
to a Crying Baby

6. We’re all in this together.
So try not to stink
up the joint.

7. Try being nice.
But if you can’t
be nice… be vague.

8. Your nearest exit
may be behind you.

9. Metaphors for
Business
(and life)

10. We don’t care about your technology.
We care about our experience.

11. We don’t fly
to fly.
We fly because
we must fly
in order to do
some other thing.
You are not our
destination.

12. Every moment is a branding moment.

13. A successful launch usually requires
a lot of runway.

14. Sometimes the smartest people
really should be in charge.

15. A little dramatic flair
never killed anyone.

16. First. Class. Kicks. Ass.

17. Learn to fly on your instruments
and your instincts…
…but mostly your instruments.

18. There are failures
and there are CFITs.

19. Sometimes, miracles happen.
(Miracle potential may vary
for non-superheroes.)

20. Time is running out…
let’s roll.