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I spent a few years riding in the back of airplanes for the Air Force, and we\'d have a safety debrief after any accidents. I remember one particular briefing. It\'s been over 30 years, so I\'m sure I\'ve forgotten the exact details, but the idea is accurate.

A blinking light indicating engine trouble held the attention of all four crew members, and the plane hit a mountain; no one was looking out the window.

It\' a tragic story, and sadly, it isn\'t rare. Can the lesson be applied to the work environment? I think it can. I\'ve sat across from very capable people and often been told they are too busy to entertain a good idea. Teams are forced to run so thin that they don\'t have people to look out the window. They don\'t have people to dream, wonder, check into new ideas.

As a sales rep, I\'m the guy looking out the window.

I was visiting with a client and asked, "If we were new members of your team, what would you have us do?" The question led to a lengthy conversation about what should be done, what should be researched or understood.

The list of what should be done keeps growing. Who\'s watching out for you?