WHO IS PACKING YOUR PARACHUTE?

Working in a team requires teamwork. Teamwork means where people come together and coordinate with each other to accomplish the goal set by the team. Teamwork is a combined effort from all its members who have a common objective. In a team, the focus is not on what a person as an individual does, but the main focus lies on the team’s efforts. 

While working in a team, there are many instances where a teammate helps another. Though it seems a small gesture at that time, it helps build trust among the team members. Small gestures and instances like such, help a lot while working in a team. 

There occurred one such instance with Charles Plumb, US Navy Jet Pilot that proves this point.

‘PACK YOUR PARACHUTE’ INSTANCE-

Charles Plumb was a US Navy Jet Pilot in Vietnam. He had been a part of various combat missions. But after his 75th combat mission, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Due to this, he grabbed his parachute and ejected from the jet plane. As the missile attack was very sudden, after jumped out of the jet plane, he landed on the land of the enemy. He was then arrested. Charles was not released instantly. He had to spend 6 years in the Vietnam prison. 

Although he was released years later. He learned a lot from this experience of his. 

One day, Charles Plumb was out with his wife for dinner in a restaurant. Charles and his wife were sitting at their table when a man from a nearby table came to him. The man said, “You’re Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!”

Hearing this, Charles Plumb was quite startled. He turned to the man and asked “How in the world did you know that?” 

The man then replied, "I packed your parachute." 

This was a shock to Charles, and he felt a sense of gratitude towards him. The man then smiled at Plumb and said, “I guess it worked.”

“It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today,” replied Charles Plumb. 

Meeting the stranger who packed his parachute filled Plumb with nothing but happiness and gratitude towards him. But this instance made a great impact on Charles Plumb’s life. Plumb kept recalling that man. He thought if he might have met him somewhere before but does not remember him.

Plumb said, “I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat, a bib in the back, and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said 'Good morning, how are you?' or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor.”

LEARNING-

There are so many people that have helped us in some way or the other but we don’t remember them. There may have occurred some instances where we should have thanked others but failed to do so. This is what exactly happens while working in a team. The teammates help each other many times, but these gestures are not recognized. Team members don’t focus on gestures like this.

This incident with Charles Plumb teaches people to recognize such gestures in a team. People may have accomplished many things alone, but there is a very important part played by the ones that have ‘packed your parachute.’

So, it is essential to recognize people who have packed out parachutes even if they are part of the same team working together. This helps build trust, coordination and a sense of belonging in a team.