“I want us to envision the first thing
we’ll do if there’s a problem.”
At 7,400 feet, the plane experienced
serious mechanical breakdowns that
left six of the eight hydraulic pumps
dead, left wing without electricity
and the computer confused.
Crespigny had flown a Cessna
before. Cessna has no computer and
only one engine. He was able to land
the Airbus by imagining he is flying a
bigger Cessna.
Investigators would later deem
Qantas Flight 32 the most damaged
Airbus A380 ever to land safely.
Mental models are not only used
in crisis they can also be used for
the preparation of good times. Dale
Carnegie also writes: “Just as you use
your imagination to conjure images
of your worst case, you can do the
same to achieve the opposite.
Think of an upcoming situation.
Imagine how things would be ideally.
See yourself in the vision. Watch
everything go perfectly. Add all the
details you possibly can to the picture.
Make it as real as possible.”
In sales meetings, we role-play how
we will make our sales pitches. We
come up with all possible questions
or objections and how we will
overcome them.
By doing that, we are creating
mental pictures of how things will
unfold when we are with the actual
customer. Nothing, therefore, come
as a surprise and we remain in charge
regardless of the situation.
Herman Githinji is a seasoned
marketing practitioner and law
graduate from the University Of
Nairobi. Currently the CEO Bidco
Land O’Lakes Company that makes
quality Animal Feeds using American
Technology. You can commune with him
on this and related issues via email on:
[email protected].